Pretty Baby
by BrokenAndDiscarded
Summary: Sora and Tai are the 'IT' couple at their high school; loved and adored by all. Everything seems perfect - that is until Matt comes into Sora's life. He's rude, cocky, brutally real... And could just be what opens Sora's eyes. Sorato! CHAP SIX!
1. Chapter One: The Queen And The Outcast

**My Notes:** Ok this is my FIRST OFFICIAL SORATO FAN FIC! YEA!! :o) Hehe. Anyways, this came to me in a dream so I hope you like it. 

This is addressed to the Sorato fans: Please PLEASE review! I luv to hear from my fellow Yamato/Sora friends. I'm a sucker for reviews and, if I get enough encouragement, I may even do another Sorato. ^_^

To everyone else: Please PLEASE if your not a Sorato fan, still read this. I'm just hoping some people out there are mature enough not to base a review upon my couple pairing and hopefully instead my skill at writing or the plot. Also, I may write a Sorato today and a Taiora tomorrow, it all depends upon how the mood grabs me (Though I'm neither a lemon fan nor a Yuri/Taiato. If I ever wrote one I'm afraid I wouldn't do it justice :)  

K well that's enough from me. Good God, maybe I should call this 'My Insane Ramblings That Go On and On_'_ instead. Ha ha. Now on with the fic! 

**Disclaimer:** Swearing galore! Not really, but as a warning there will be vulgar cuss words. Sorry but this is a high school based fiction and I think it portrays the characters in their truest nature. If you are opposed to curse words and coarse language then please do not read further. Thank you.

Read and review!!! 

::.::Pretty Baby::.:: 

By ~*Jasmine*~

**Chapter One: The Queen And The Outcast**

Sora peeked over at her friend, Mimi's, sheet of stark white paper and gave a slight sigh. The seventeen-year-old young woman **technically** knew these ballads were confidential but she couldn't help herself. And anyway, filling out the form for Prom King and Queen was sure to be the hot topic of the morning, laughed and chattered about in the hallways. No one's vote would be kept a secret and Sora could just imagine how many guys and girls alike would approach her in the hallway, saying warmly, "Hey Sor, you totally got my vote!" Not like she'd ever askedfor it to begin with but, then again, that was the severe social obligation of a popular girl. 

Ha ha! Sora had to actually laugh to herself at that thought as she contemplatively chewed on the eraser of her bland school-issued pencil. She made it seem as if being well liked and smart was a badthing. Actually, being a social butterfly had its good moments, like how she glowed proudly after raising enough money to improve the Odibisha High School gymnasium or how she had been accepted to the college of her choice on a full scholarship. And then she was never short on friends either… Yet still, all the attention and glorifying could give one a big head sometimes and, with fake people around all the time, it was hard to tell who was a real friend. 

       Sora saw both Tai and her name circled in bright pink pen on Mimi's paper. Of course, she was somewhat sure that at least half of her senior class had done the same; everyone always told her that she and her boyfriend, Tai, made an absolutely perfect couple. After all, both were popular, into sports, very nice, and attractive. Even though Sora didn't think of herself as gorgeous, others seemed to. With her shoulder length silky auburn hair, warm scarlet eyes, playful smile, perfect tan skin, and thin frame, she did fit the mold of what every high school girl wished she could be. 

       "Pass your sheets up to the front row, please," Mrs. Hiushuw said. The pretty blonde haired teacher walked over each row, collecting the paper ballads.  As she passed by Sora, her black skirt rustling with her movement, she smiled warmly at the Prom Queen candidate and whispered, "Good luck this year, Ms Takenouchi." 

Sora returned the grin half heartedly as her stomach churned. Then the bell rang and the teen leaped up from her desk, unable to hide the relief of being able to leave the stuffy homeroom and stretch her legs. 

       People passed by in nameless herds, their voices like a murmur of wind. Sora walked within the crowd and teenagers seemed to break apart to let her pass, as if the girl was somehow Moses parting the Red Sea. Sora blushed faintly at all the encouraging comments hurled at her and briskly walked to her locker. Coming to a stop at her icky mint green colored locker, Sora eagerly twisted her lock this way and that; silently pleading for her stubborn combination to work as her mind flittered with thought. People patted her fondly on the shoulder and she threw them fake smiles while cursing under her breath, "Damn locker! I can't even open it!" 

     Suddenly a strong arm circled her waist and lips met her cheek. "Hey babe. Having a little trouble?" the masculine voice asked with a hint of amusement. 

     Sora looked up to see a pair of dark chocolate eyes peering down at her surrounded by a tan chiseled face. "Tai! Boy, am I happy to see you! My lock doesn't wanna open today."

     The young man let his hand skillfully twirl over the combination and the locker gave out a satisfying *click*before opening up. Then Tai turned to his girlfriend's pleased face and said smugly, "See, nothing to it, Sor." 

       "Ya sure. Just don't let your head swell any bigger or it may need it's own zip code soon, Mr. Prom King," Sora teased as she pulled out her notebook and an assortment of books from the inside of her locker.

Tai grinned and ran a hand through his mass of dark brown locks. "Speaking of the Prom, I think you're sure to win Queen this year Sora." 

   Sora's face darkened a bit but Tai didn't seem to notice. 'Again, I'll be called: Queen Sora. O yippee,' thought the girl sarcastically. It wasn't as if she wanted to seem ungrateful... but all her high school life she'd been voted Queen of this and that and she now felt this hidden yearning to have just one yearwere she wasn't a monarchy over all the other teenagers. Just one year to find out who her real friends are and, in the process, find out just exactly who Sora Takenouchi is without a fancy title. Coughing away the feeling, Sora replied with as much spirit as she could muster, "That's great, Tai. I think you'll be king this year too." 

  Of course he would. He was always king of everything. "I hope..." said Tai humbly, though his giant smile told Sora that he was as sure of being named King as she was of being Queen. "Hey, you wanna go to the mall with me after my soccer practice? I have to pick up a suit for the Prom... I might even treat you to a McDonald's Kid's Meal if you're good," Tai added the last part cheekily. 

  Sora slammed close her locker and rolled her crimson eyes. "A whole kid's meal? O Tai, you're so good to me," she replied sarcastically, with a flourish of her cinnamon eyes. Then punching his arm playfully, she laughed, "I guess I'll go to the mall with you even if you are being a jerk. I don't trust your fashion sense enough to let you go by yourself." 

  Tai snorted in mock indignity, "Me? Bad fashion sense? Ha! I am the definition of style." Then he pulled Sora into his arms and kissed her lightly. 

Sora giggled flippantly against his lips before pulling away. "See you later, Tai."

**~^_^~**

Matt yawned and doodled on his paper. School sucked, teachers sucked, parents sucked. The only thing that didn't suck, according to the teen, were Matt's band and Saturdays. The eight-teen year old young man relished the thought of jamming with his fellow band mates tomorrow after school; his lustrous male voice crooning loudly over guitar cords and thunderous drum beats. 

  Breaking away from his day dreaming, Matt ran a hand through his longish blond hair and glanced around. Mr. Pedrin was going on and on in an excited jabber about balancing chemical equations and equally boring chemistry jumbo. Matt watched in uninterested humor as the stout man's black mustache jumped with each quiver of his fat lip, like a furry caterpillar dancing to a strange beat. _'_Okkk you are way to bored for your own good, Matt', the boy thought to himself with an exasperated sigh. 

  Matt's blue eyes darted over the small class of kids. A few nerds actually looked interested in all this science stuff, their scrawny arms moving rapidly to jot down the notes. The rest were bored out of their minds. One girl had started a game of seeing how big she could blow a bubble in her chewing gum. Another boy looked as if he was thinking about stabbing his eyes out with his pen in an attempt to be sent home. A young woman with bleached blond hair and blue eye shadow caked eyelids was gazing at Matt dreamily, a small smile on her face as her fake nails clicked against her desk. When she noticed the object of her affection giving her a weird stare, the girl's cheeks flushed crimson and she immediately turned to face Mr. Pedrin.  

  The young man furrowed his eyebrows. Another member of the 'I-Love-Matt-And-Am-Devoted-To-Him-Forever-And-Ever-And-Ever-And Ever...' Club. Good grief! By this point the whole female population of Odibisha High School, and even some males, were a part of the Matt fan club! 

Suddenly the door to Mr. Pedrin's classroom opened and in walked a tall young woman. The girl wore slim fitting jeans and a pretty tee shirt and, as she sauntered over to the teacher with a bright smile, all the guys' eyes followed her. "Sorry, Mr. Pedrin. My locker was stuck again but I have a note," she said cheerily. 

  Mr. Pedrin waved away the piece of paper and returned the grin. "No need, Ms Takenouchi. I trust you, I know the captain of the tennis team wouldn't lie to me," beamed the science teacher. 

  Matt watched as the auburn haired girl walked over to her chair in front of his desk and he couldn't hide his glower. 'Sora Takenouchi'. The name hung heavy in his head like a rain cloud ominously hovering within his skull. 'Ms Popular'. Everyone was in awe of the future Prom Queen and Matt couldn't help but feel the rawness within him at the very mention of her name. 'Big freakin deal! They worship the ground she walks on like she's a goddess or something. We'll she certainly isn't a perfect little role model,' he thought savagely. His grip became so tight the pen in his hand felt as if it was a razor being sliced into his palm, drawing etched lines along his skin. 

  "Couldn't open your locker? Awww, maybe you should stop doing your lock **and **your boyfriend at the same time?" Matt whispered into Sora's ear. 

  "Screw you," the girl hissed back, still smiling at Mr. Pedrin the whole time.   

  "Any time, baby," he snickered and winked suggestively which only got him a 'humph' and a cold shoulder. 

The blonde returned to scribbling on his paper. Matt couldn't even stand the sight of Sora. She was... really pretty; he had to at least admit that. Her shiny, fragrant auburn hair brushed against her shoulders and her wide crimson eyes radiated a seeming purity and kindness. But under all that outward beauty, Matt was sure, lurked her true self - a snob, a brat, a complete **bitch**... Maybe Matt was biased. 'I mean, after all that happened, how could I not be?' At that thought the teenager felt a dull sadness crease over his heart.

  Matt pushed the notion back at once. He wouldn't feel grief - **anything** - again for her. It'd taken him so long to convince himself that she didn't matter any more, that Sora was just some bad dream. 'I won't let her affect me again, ever.' 

  Yet even as the young man thought these determined confessions, the pen in his hand stopped it's doodling. Matt looked down and gave out a surprised gasp. There on his paper was scrawled a small seashell. 'What is the matter with me? Get over her already, Matt!' In a fit of rage he clamored up the paper and crinkled it into a tight ball.           

**~ ^o^ ~**

**Closing Notes: **So this was basically just a brief introduction to the story, a lot still is left to be explained. For instance, why does Matt so venomously loath Sora and visa versa? This was definitely be a Sorato so no fears! ^_^ Next installment will answer the questions of Sora and Matt's rocky past... And a new problem will arise between Tai and Sora that could create a stir....  


	2. Chapter Two: Beautiful Dreamer

**My Notes: **

Ok this is my FIRST OFFICIAL SORATO FAN FIC! YEA!! :o) Hehe. Anyways, this came to me in a dream so I hope you like it. 

This is addressed to the Sorato fans: Please PLEASE review! I luv to hear from my fellow Yamato/Sora friends. I'm a sucker for reviews and, if I get enough encouragement, I may even do another Sorato. ^_^

To everyone else: Please PLEASE if your not a Sorato fan, still read this. I'm just hoping some people out there are mature enough not to base a review upon my couple pairing and hopefully instead my skill at writing or the plot. Also, I may write a Sorato today and a Taiora tomorrow, it all depends upon how the mood grabs me (though I'm neither a lemon fan nor a Yuri/Taiato. If I ever wrote one I'm afraid I wouldn't do it justice :)  

K well that's enough from me. Good God, maybe I should call this 'My Insane Ramblings That Go On and On_'_ instead. Ha ha. Now on with the fic! 

                                      ::.::Pretty Baby::.:: 

                                                                                                  By ~*Jasmine*~

**                                             Chapter Two: Beautiful Dreamer**

                      "Alright, boys. This was a pretty good practice but next time, I want to work on our defense. For now, go home and do some homework. Lord knows I need all the players I have without having half the team on academic probation," shouted Mr. Gensingi, the boy's soccer coach. His silvery thick mane of hair glistened in the bright afternoon sunlight and Mr. Gensingi picked up his black clipboard. Muttering to him self about how stupid the high school's new policy was he marched off to his car.    

"Your lucky I didn't get a chance to kick that butt of yours all over the field today, Besay," boasted Tai as he began to kick his soccer ball down the grassy field.

                      Besay, a tall black haired young man, laughed and skillfully kicked the ball away from Tai. " In your dreams, buddy... Hey, I don't have all that much homework tonight, why don't I wipe that cocky grin off your face right now?" the young man playfully bragged as he began to trot down the green field with the soccer ball safely in his possession. 

                      Tai snorted haughtily and chased after Besay. "Sorry buddy..." Tai caught up with Besay and faced off with him, each trying to out skill the other. "As much as I'd like to give you a lesson on how a **real **player does it, I'm afraid I promised Sora I'd meet up with her after practice," spoke Tai. Then with a flourish of his feet, the captain of the soccer team snatched away the ball. The brown haired boy kicked the ball straight up in the air and caught it smugly. 

                      Besay stood up and spoke, panting slightly, "You still going out with Sora? I thought you guys would have broken up by now."

                      "Yea, we're still together... Why would you think a thing like that?" Tai tossed the ball from one hand to the other nonchalantly.      

                      Besay grinned from ear to ear and said, "Dude, I knew you were pretty thick but even you couldn't miss the looks the girls in our school have been giving you. They all would sleep with Mr. Prom King in a minute! I mean, Sora is pretty hot and all but I know she ain't giving a dog like you any tail..."

"Hold up!" Tai threw the ball forcefully at Besay, interrupting him in mid sentence. "A matter of fact, I **have **seen the way those girls throw themselves at me and I could get Sora **any time** I want! She just... wants to wait until after prom to go all the way, that's all. Don't tell anyone Besay but I think I'm gonna dump Sora after prom. Just so we can still be on good terms for the dance ya know?" 

                      Besay rolled his eyes. "And to score. O yea, how kind of you." 

                      Tai laughed, "Yea well you aren't exactly a gentlemen yourself... But I gotta go Besay, Sora is probably mad at me already for making her wait." 

Tai jogged to the end of the field and snatched up his black duffel bag, completely forgetting the fact that Besay still had his soccer ball. 

**-_-**

Sora felt tears rush down her cheeks and her world come crashing down. 'O my God! Please tell me what I just heard was a lie! Tai can't be using me just to get some action and that he's planning to dump me after Prom,' the teenage girl thought desperately. 

The future Prom Queen had heard all of it; Tai'sblatant confession drifted to her ears in a harsh wave of nauseous jesting laughter, as she hid behind the row of wooden school bleachers. 'How could the only boy I **thought **I ever loved treat me like that?' she wondered in silence, the tears welling up in her garnet gem eyes. Sora's knees buckled under her sobbing weight and she had to clutch onto the back of the bleachers for support. 

Just then Tai came back from practice, blissfully trotting towards the school's parking lot. Tai was whistling to himself until he caught sight of Sora with liquid tears flowing down her face. Tai stood still, his chocolate brown eyes wide, and asked, "Sor... Sora, what's the matter?"

The auburn haired teen turned to Tai, her lips quivering in grief. Her eyes were like two deep crimson suns drowning in a suffocating salty sea. Her body trembled and all she could sob out was, "Tai... How could you do this to me?" Then feeling a wave of tears fall onto her cheek, the girl buried her face in her hands and ran off into the parking lot. 

Tai reached out to her in an attempt to stop her from fleeing. The young man stood for a moment in shock before dropping his duffel bag to the ground and taking off after his girlfriend. "Sora, wait! Please, it wasn't what it seemed!" he shouted after her. But it was of no use; the young woman had already disappeared behind a throng of red sports cars and black SUVs. 

Sora kept running as Tai shouted her name. The girl's long legs were use to running, since she did do track and tennis, and her legs now propelled her foreword as if she were in a race against the fastest person in Tokyo. She just kept moving, trying to concentrate on dashing onward, as the tears stung and blurred her vision, instead of what just happened: how her heart had been broken. The desperate young woman didn't know were she was going and the sidewalk kept winding forward, twisting together in a confusion of gray cement. Then Sora slowed down and fell to her knees, her throat burning for breath and releasing sobs all at the same time. 'What am I going to do?' her mind asked, 'Tai... I'm nothing without him... For as long as I've been in Obidisha I've been Tai's girlfriend... I'm nothing without him... Everyone always said that we're perfect together... Tai and I wereperfect together... **All I'll ever be is his girlfriend.**' 

The girl looked up through a hazy veil of tears and saw she was sitting in front of a tall three-story brick apartment. It had a very desolate solemn look to it, there were no pretty colorful flowers hanging from the building nor lacy curtains in the windows as the case was with Sora's apartment. Instead there was a few trailing vines crawling up the dark red brick surface and stark white blinds pulled down over the windows. Shadows could be seen just on the other side of one of the slanted windows, the faint silhouette of a thin framed boy with somewhat long hair sitting on the edge of his bed. The young man held a sort of guitar cradled in his arms and he was playing his instrument with such care. 

Sora recognized the boy immediately. It was Matt Ishida! Her face brightened at the comforting sight of the young man who had been her friend a few years back, in the Digiworld. Yet it had been so long ago... and after the way their friendship had been broken, it was very unlikely Matt would ever want to see her again. Tears flowed anew from her crimson eyes; Sora felt so much heartache and regret that she couldn't bare its weight any more. The young woman stood up and began to run home, her thoughts swimming in a sea of lose.

When Sora finally got home, she slammed through the front door. Mrs. Takenouchi sat at the small kitchen table, a tiny dinner of noodles and a dinner roll set before her as well as one for Sora. A warm smile flashed over the kindly woman's face and she said, "Sora! I'm so happy your home! Your dinner's all ready for you."      

                  Sora dashed right past her and up to her room, slamming the door shut behind her. Ms. Takenouchi's face clouded with sadness and worry for her daughter and she called up after Sora. "What's the matter honey? You know you can talk to me about it!" But there was no answer and Sora's mother sighed. 'Usually Sora is so cheery, what **jerk** could have made my little girl so upset?' 

                      Sora flung herself atop her bed and sobbed into her pillow. She hated not being able to tell her mother about this but she was far too upset to talk about what Tai had done. 'Tai's never done anything remotely mean to me during the entire three years we've gone out. Yet now, I find out he's only been going out with me to appear as if we're the perfect popular couple and get some play. I can't believe it!' she thought as she buried her face deeper into the moist downy pillow. 

                      Yet as her body grew tired and her breathing slowed to a soft lull, Sora felt herself drifting to sleep. The tears from her cheeks dried like deserted summer riverbeds and her heavy eyes closed. The last thought to pass through her mind was why, of all the places in Tokyo, had she run to Matt's doorstep? 

                      Then a dream of her childhood overcame the girl:

It was just becoming sunset; a magnificent scarlet sun was disappearing below a beautiful indigo sea of lapping waves. A warm wind blew and caressed the cheek of a young blond boy sitting beneath a canopy of lush trees just a few feet from the ocean's sandy coast. Matt sighed and closed his eyes, leaning back upon the trunk of the tree. 

                      A beautiful innocent eyed girl came walking over from the shore of the sea; her short auburn hair fluttered in the wind and fell onto her angelic face. Sora's bare feet tread lightly over the warm shifting sand and once she caught sight of her childhood friend under the tree, a warm smile lit up her features. Matt loved her smile; just a quick glimpse of it offered as much love and caring as a friendly hug. "Hi Matt," the girl said cheerily and she came to sit beside him, pulling her knees up to her chest.

                      "Hey Sora," the boy said and a small grin came over his young handsome face. "Whatchya up to?" he asked.   

Sora sighed and shook her head. The girl said glumly, "Well I **was** looking for sea shells but then it started raining!" 

                      Matt sat up straight and reached his hand out just beyond the leafy shelter. Sure enough, a few chilly drops of rain splattered over the flesh of his palm. He shrugged, "So? You can still go get some shells."   

                      The girl furrowed her eyebrows. "Nu uh! I don't wanna get all wet!" she argued. 

                      "O come on, it's just a little water. Don't be such a baby!" the boy laughed and then a mischievous grin came over him. Standing up and taking her hand gently in his, he jogged down to the beach with the girl in tow. 

                   Sand was kicked up in a spray of glimmering grit. Sora shrieked as the first few cold drops poured over her but soon she was giggling with joy as she began to feel refreshed by the onslaught of rain. 

Matt laughed and kept running until he caught sight of a beautiful glistening shell just a few inches below the shallow seawater. The boy ran into the foamy surf and the cold liquid soaked deep into his sneakers and drenched the cuffs of his jeans. He reached down and picked up the seashell with his numb fingers. Sora followed him, her naked feet sinking far into the icy water, and came to a halt at were Matt stood. By now, beads of rain rolled off the strands of their hair and their skin glistened with moisture. Matt took Sora's hand in his and placed the seashell gently upon her palm. Sora examined the creamy shell with its long spiraled ridges and said happily, "O wow, thanks Matt! It's beautiful!"

Matt was staring at Sora; her stunning dark red hair limp with the water stuck to her damp forehead and drenched her bright yellow tank top. Droplets hung on the tips of her long eyelashes and the usually practical girl's crimson eyes were wide with a joy for life and this feeling of being free. Sora looked up from her shell to see Matt staring at her intently. He was so handsome, so unusually gentle and liberated. His hair, most of the time well placed and gelled, now was lying wild on his head and his azure eyes seemed so focused and intense. To Sora, Matt never looked more magnificent then right at that moment in time.

Matt pulled his face closer to Sora and she gave no resistance as their warm wet lips met in a soft adoring kiss. 

^ _ ^ Awww!!

                  Matt placed his guitar in its case and yawned. Then the young man glanced at his bedroom alarm clock and it read 11:00. 'Jesus! I played that thing all night! Guess I won't get a chance to do my homework tonight... O well, its not exactly the first time,' Matt thought to himself as he got up and slid into his night wear, a pair of dark blue boxers. 

                      Suddenly a knock came from Matt's door and Matt knew exactly whom it was. "Come in T.K. and this better be good, I was just gonna go to sleep."

                      A young adolescent boy with shaggy blond hair and an adorably sheepish smile entered Matt's room. "Hi Matt. Don't worry; what I have to ask will only take a sec... Can I... uhhh... borrowyourguitar?" T.K. asked his brother, spluttering feverishly, already knowing the answer. 

                      "Lets try this one more time. And use actual words please," Matt commented with a smug smile.

                      T.K. nodded and gulped solemnly. "Can I borrow your guitar?" he asked, slower this time. 

Matt furrowed his eyebrows. This was **his guitar** they were talking about; Matt nearly had a heart attack the last time he left it over one of his band mate's houses. Matt inquired, "Why exactlydo you want me to entrust to you my one-of-a-kind, really expensive instrument? So you can pass it around during Show-And-Tell?" 

T.K.'s shot his brother a mock icy glower, "No! Unless you haven't noticed Matt, I'm a freshman in high school now. I kinda have outgrown the whole Show-And-Tell thing." Then a pale pink flushed over T.K.'s cheeks as he added hesitantly, "I've... Well, ya see, I kinda got in a fight with Kari... And I think... Well, if I serenaded her with a song she'd probably forgive me..."  

Matt chuckled to himself. 'Wow. Each day T.K. seems to be getting more and more like me... Scary, huh?' thought the young man with a smile. "Sure T.K. If it will help you to get back on Kari's good side, then you can borrow my guitar. But if there are any scratches on it, I'll make you pay with your life!" Matt said.

T.K. leapt foreword and snatched up the instrument. Putting it under his arm and going out the door, the young man cried over his shoulder, "Thanks bro! You're the best! I promise to take really good care of your 'pride and joy'."  

                  As his brother left, Matt shook his head and jokingly sighed, "Kids these days." Then Matt got up to shut off the lamp on his desk and as he neared his hand close to the switch, something caught his eye. It was a lovely smooth seashell. The smile vanished from Matt's face at the sight of the shell and all the painful memories brought with it. 'But that's over now. I've forgotten all about what happened,' the young man tried to convince himself. Taking the creamy shell in his hand, Matt dropped it forcefully in his waste paper basket and watched its glossy surface disappear beneath a shower of crinkled papers and sticky candy wrappers. 'See... I'm through with that part of my life now... I'm through with **her**.'

Then Matt climbed into bed, yet he felt troubled. He knew he was kidding himself in believing he could pretend what happened between him and Sora never existed... And now, his dreams showed him the things that he wished to forget and threw them in his face, laughing at how grief stricken his heart was.  

                      A young Matt ran up a hill, a large smile on his face. The Digiworld was sunny and singing today, and the boy's soul mirrored this joy. Only a day ago he had shared a kiss with Sora, the girl who his heart belonged to. She'd left to go wash her hands after lunch in the cold ocean water and Matt wanted to go join her, maybe even steal a few of those smiles. The smiles that were fringed with laughter and sun.  

                      Now as he rounded the top of the lush grassy hill, Matt came to a sharp halt. There, sitting under the tree he and Sora had occupied only last evening, was a dark brown haired boy and an auburn haired girl. They were laughing together and flirting. Matt's stomach churned in nausea as he realized the boy was Tai, one of his not-so-close friends, and Sora, the girl he **thought** he loved. Then, to Matt's horror, Tai neared his face closer to Sora and kissed her hungrily. Matt's blue eyes brimmed up with tears and he wished that Sora would break away from the kiss, maybe even punch Tai in the face, or at least push him away. But Matt's beloved only returned the kiss, letting Tai take full control of her angelic face.

                      It was too much for Matt to bare; this wasn't the first time he had been betrayed yet it was definitely the most painful. The young boy turned and ran back down the hill, tears falling onto his cheeks.

Sora heard someone gasp and then she heard running feet. Breaking away from Tai, Sora saw just the top of Matt's golden head before he disappeared behind a hill. Sora's crimson eyes grew wide and she shouted, "Matt wait! Let me explain!" The girl leapt up and began to run after her friend. 

                      Tai said, "Sora, don't go after him. He'll get over it," and reached out to grab the girl's arm. Sora shook off his grasp and continued to dash after Matt, her heart beating with fear and shock. 'How could I have ever let this happen?' 

                      Matt ran until he was unable to smell the salt of the ocean in the warm air. Unable to carry himself anymore he sat down upon the soft grass and buried his face in his hands, trying to stop his tears from falling. He was so full of grief that he grew angry, the only emotion he wasn't embarrassed to show. Rage boiled up within him along with tears. 'Stupid Sora for kissing Tai! Stupid me for even caring about her!' the boy silently sobbed. 

                      Suddenly a gentle hesitant hand rested upon the boy's shoulder and a familiar feminine voice began, "I'm... I'm really, reallysorry Matt... It's just-" 

                      Matt jerked his body out from Sora's touch and looked up at her miserable face with anger flashing in his rebellious blue eyes. "Save it, Sora. I don't wanna hear your lies," he hissed. 

                      Sora knew she deserved that. The girl swallowed down her tears and spoke, "Matt, what I have to say is the truth. I care for you, I truly do. It's just that, well, I only like you as a friend..." 

"What about the kiss? You can't pretend that meant nothing to you!" Matt said, anger rasping in his throat. 'Why does she have to say that? Go and kiss him, go and marry Tai for all I care! But as long as I know you feel the same then it doesn't matter, then I can deal. But if you don't love me...'  

                      The girl looked confused now too, as if she was grasping for an answer, "I-It was the rain... And then you held my hand and gave me the seashell... It was just all so romantic, Matt, like a dream... I was swept away by the entire thing and I never meant to hurt your feelings." 

                      Matt shook his head, his anger dissolving a little into sorrow. "No... No Sora. When I kissed you, I felt something. I bet Tai's kiss never felt like that!" 

                      Sora bit her lip to stop herself from crying even though her eyes were growing moist. She said, her voice trembling, "Matt, you don't understand. I've loved Tai since I first met him and even if his kiss wasn't... like yours, I know I'm... supposed to be with Tai. He and I make sense, and you and I... Well we don't, Matt." When Tai, her long-time friend and secret crush, had touched his lips with hers a moment ago, it had felt like her dreams suddenly came true. Even if her kiss with Tai had been not at all passionate and even felt a little fake, over time it would grow to be more romantic... right? 

                      Then, stealing up all her nerve, the young woman took something out of the back pocket of her jeans and whispered, "I'm sorry. I'm doing this for both of us; you can get someone much better then me... Here, you can have this to remember that I still care about you no matter what, Matt." Sora dropped a small item into Matt's lap and ran away, finally giving in to the tears, which smeared down her cheeks.

The young boy peered down and saw the shell lying against his lap. 

**:*o(**

**Closing Notes: **Well what do you think? There past is revealed and its not very pretty. The present however is turning out to be just as ugly, with Tai's confession to using Sora for his own gain. Next chapter Sora gets her revenge on Tai! And there may even be a little Sorato finally developing! Wee!


	3. Chapter Three: A Day Made For Rain

**My Notes:** Ok this is my FIRST OFFICIAL SORATO FAN FIC! YEA!! :o) Hehe. Anyways, this came to me in a dream so I hope you like it. 

This is addressed to the Sorato fans: Please PLEASE review! I luv to hear from my fellow Yamato/Sora friends. I'm a sucker for reviews and, if I get enough encouragement, I may even do another Sorato. ^_^

To everyone else: Please PLEASE if your not a Sorato fan, still read this. I'm just hoping some people out there are mature enough not to base a review upon my couple pairing and hopefully instead my skill at writing or the plot. Also, I may write a Sorato today and a Taiora tomorrow, it all depends upon how the mood grabs me (though I'm neither a lemon fan nor a Yuri/Taiato. If I ever wrote one I'm afraid I wouldn't do it justice :)  

K well that's enough from me. Good God, maybe I should call this 'My Insane Ramblings That Go On and On_'_ instead. Ha ha. Now on with the fic! 

**::.::Pretty Baby::.::**

                                                                                        By ~*Jasmine*~

                                                                                    **Chapter Three: A Day Made For Rain******

Sora awoke the next morning with the heavy atmosphere of grief and anger still hanging dreadfully thick around her. The dream she had had that night had only added to her pain. The mere memory of Matt sent a wave of tears and regret surging through her body. 

                      So as Sora ran out to her car that morning (Tai usually picked her up but you probably can guess why he didn't today) an idea popped into the young woman's mind. As she drove towards school, she schemed a way to get Tai back and humiliate him as much as he had done to her. 

**____**

****

Tai walked into the lunchroom and pensively scanned the large room. Teens were everywhere, chatting, eating, laughing, drinking their lattes, and gossiping. The young man was almost positive they were all whispering about what happened between him and Sora yesterday. This rude ladies man rap could totally ruin his chances at Prom King; he needed to set the record straight in front of all of them now.

                      He spotted Sora, wearing a pretty floral sundress, sitting by Mimi at their usual table. She looked as beautiful as always, giggling about something. Placing upon his face his best wounded-puppy look, he approached the table and his girlfriend. "Hey Sor," he began softly. 

                      As soon as he spoke, it was like he had single-handedly stopped the passing of time. Each and every student in the cafeteria, and even some teachers, became quiet and turned their eyes towards the couple. 

                      Crossing her arms, Sora said evenly, "So look what the cat dragged back."

                      Tai offered up a sheepish smile, which was anything but cute in Sora's opinion. "So I guess you're still mad then, huh?"    

                      "Ya, considering my steady boyfriend just confessed to using me to get some nasty play, ya I guess you could say I'm **mad**." Some girls who had swooned for Tai before were now glaring evilly at him. 

                      "Sora, that's not true! I love you!" Tai cried out. 

                              The pretty girl's crimson glare never softened. "Yea, love, Tai? Is that what you call posing as a couple just so you could be popular? Is that what you call breaking someone's heart because you're a self-centered jackass? You have a screwed up definition of love then." Tears came to the girl's eyes. She had sworn to herself that she wouldn't cry and she was trying her best to keep that promise and be strong.   

                      "But we've been together three damn years Sora! We have history! We were always happy! We are perfect together Sor, you and me are the best couple!" he shouted. 

                      "We **were** the best couple, Tai," she snorted and stuck her nose up in the air. "Now we don't have history, we **are** history." 

                      The boy's chocolate eyes too welled up with tears. He had never meant to hurt her so, even if he didn't truly love her, she was still his friend. He had been using her but he never wanted to harm her this deeply. "I'm sorry. I don't know what else to say except that I'm really sorry." 

                      The girl stood and snatched up her purse. "Well sometimes sorry just isn't enough, Tai," Sora said solemnly before beginning to walk towards the cafeteria exit. 

                      Tai stood and suddenly heard the snickering all around him. A few people even clapped for Sora's fine performance! "Tai, you suck, dude! Get a life!" somebody actually shouted. 

                               The boy couldn't let himself be made a fool of in front of the entire school; he had to do something to redeem his 'cool guy' image. He called to Sora's back, "Fine! I was willing to take you back but now you've completely screwed up and there is no way I'd go out with you again!" 

                      The auburn haired girl turned around and peered at Tai venomously. "Excuse me? Take **me** back?" 

                      Running a hand through his brown hair and smiling smugly, he replied, "Yea, you heard me. Now that I've dumped you, you're a 'nobody' again just like you were as a freshman. You're nothing without me. I made you popular and I can destroy you too, you stupid hoe." 

                      Sora gritted her teeth together. "Ya and you're just like you were as a freshman: an immature jerk-off! Go ahead and make me unpopular! You think I really care? I'm not like you Tai, I don't need to be everyone's star player all the time..." She grabbed a milk carton from a nearby table and flung it at Tai. The chocolate liquid drenched the boy's thick mop of hair and the top of his blue shirt. He gasped loudly and his mouth gaped open in shock as Sora neared close to him so there faces were just inches apart. She said flatly, "As far as I'm concerned you can go screw yourself." 

                      Sora marched off and the cafeteria erupted in claps, whistles, and whoops. Chants echoed, "SORA! SORA! SORA!" Tai stood there the whole time, stunned.

                                         ~*O*~

****

                      "The molecules of one element will actually bond to molecules of another element, thus forming compounds. Blah blah blahbedy blah..." rambled on Mr. Pedrin. 

                      Matt didn't even pretend to act interested, he was busy making scratch marks in his desk with the sharp point of his guitar pick. It was the last period of the day and he couldn't wait to rush home and think up some new lyrics. A whole free weekend!

                      The door of the Chemistry classroom opened up and in walked Sora. Her white dress with a red flower pattern fit her small petite curves perfectly and she tossed her auburn hair behind her shoulders. She looked less composed then usual and her mascara was slightly running at the edges. Still all the guys drooled anyway. 

                      "I'm sorry, Mr. Pedrin..." began Sora and Matt awaited her usual lame excuse. 

                      The fat man shook his head grimly and patted the girl's shoulder. "No need, Ms Takenouchi. I know you probably are having a hard time after what happened at lunch so don't worry about it." 

                      The girl smiled weakly. "Thank you Mr. Pedrin," she replied sweetly and walked over to her chair. 

                               'What happened at lunch?' wondered Matt. He had left school as always to go out with his fellow band mates and grab lunch at a local greasy diner. The school food sucked in his opinion. Leaning over so his lips were close to Sora's ear, he asked in a hushed tone, "What happened during lunch? O no, did someone drop a Coke all over your new Prada shoes?"

                      He felt the girl tense under his hot breath. "No and its none of your damn business," she whispered back. 

                      "Fine. Since everyone here already knows you were just giving your boyfriend head anyway," he snickered, pleased at the cringe that came from Sora. 

                      "You are such a pig! Why don't you do everyone a favor and shut the hell up!" she said hotly, a little too loudly, and a few people turned to stare at the pair. Sora blushed a bit at their weird glares and Matt chuckled, leaning back pleased. 

Mr. Pedrin went on for a while about the boring way elements combine, which apparently by the way he was excitedly jumping around, to him this was more interesting than the day he lost his virginity, if ever. Matt stopped scratching the table and looked up at the clock. Only five more minutes until the weekend and so far he had no homework! He just hoped Mr. Pedrin didn't give them any. 

"O look at the time! I was enjoying today's lector so much I forgot to assign you partners for your project due Monday!" exclaimed Mr. Pedrin. 

                           'What a pity!' thought Matt sarcastically and he smiled.

"... But there is still five minutes so I have just enough time to outline the project and break you guys up into pairs..." 

A groan went up from all the students (which the teacher either didn't hear or just ignored) and the grin fell from the blonde man's face. 'This really sucks,' Matt thought. 

Mr. Pedrin began, "Ok the assignment is to make a model of the molecules of a pure element, of a mixture, and of a compound. You and your partner can use whatever materials you want as long as it gets finished by Monday. Now as for partners, let me see here," The teacher went on to call out groups of two from his attendance list. "Dereil and Kaismi, Riki and Naoto, Mimi and Jyou..." Mr. Pedrin continued until there were only two names left on the sheet and only one minute left until the end of the school day. "And last but not least, Sora and Yamato." 

The students all gasped and turned to look at the couple. It was a well-known fact that for some reason Sora and Matt had always despised each other, hurling names at each other constantly and tripping up each other in the hall. It made some sense actually, they were complete polar opposites: Ms Perfect Popularity and Mr Solemn Recluse. 

"Wha... What? No way! Mr. Pedrin, isn't there anyone else I can partner up with?" begged Sora. 

The teacher shook his fat head. "I'm sorry Sora but that's the only other person left... Why don't you two take this opportunity to become friends, eh? I'm sure deep down you aren't as different as you think."  

Everyone was watching Matt and Sora's stunned reactions when suddenly the school bell rang. The students leaped from their desks and whooped happily as they bolted from the room. Sora huffed and stormed out of the classroom. 

~*~o.o~*~

****

Sora attempted to cross the hallway but it was very different from the orderly mass that morning. Even her popularity couldn't save her from the herd of people running towards the school's exit doors and she tried in vain to not be flattened like a pancake from their running sneakers. 

As she was making her way through the teens a hand reached out and grasped her shoulder, pulling her over to the wall. It was Mimi, her closest friend. Her long pink hair was set free down her shoulders and her hazel eyes were gazing at Sora with both concern and compassion. "Hey Sora. How are you holding up?" she asked. 

Sora feigned a smile though her crimson eyes showed her sadness. "Perfectly fine, now that I'm rid of that stupid Tai," she said mock cheerily. 

Mimi wasn't fooled. "Are you sure? I mean, you can tell me anything at any time Sora, I'm always here for you." 

The girl softened at her friend's true sincerity. "Uh hu, I know, but I'll be fine, honest. All I need is a few days and I'll be over him." 

"OK," replied Mimi and then with a giggle she added, "So looking foreword to having to spend time with Matt tonight? Don't ask how I found out, it's the talk of the school." 

Sora rolled her crimson eyes and hefted her heavy books higher. "Yea right! I don't think I can deal with **two** assholes in one day!" she sighed. 

Mimi gave her friend a 'you're crazy' look. "Hell-o, girl! That guy is a major hottie! I know it has only been, well, two hours since you broke up from a serious relationship and you aren't supposed to rebound quickly... But come on! It's your deal, but if it were me then I'd snatch up Matt in a second! Don't tell Jyou of course." 

Sora had to giggle at her friend. 'Mimi never changes' she thought. "My lips are sealed and thanks for the advice. Well, I gotta go now before the sea of people carry me away so I'll see you later." 

Mimi started walking away and she called over her shoulder way loudly, "BYE GIRL! CALL ME LATER K AND LET ME IN ON ALLLLLL THE JUICY DETAILS!" Ten people next to the girl cringed and covered their ears from her loud shrieks. 

Sora laughed and started walking down the hall, weaving between people. She finally made it to her mint green locker and tried her combination. It didn't open. "Friggin stupid ass locker!" the girl cursed loudly and gave the locker a mighty kick (well as hard as one can with platform sandals on). 

"Ow. I'd really hate to be that locker right now," a guy's voice said close by. 

"Great! I'm having trouble with my locker again..." Sora began to turn around, instinctly expecting Tai to be standing there, as if it were their daily ritual. 

Instead there was a grinning Matt, wearing loose fitting faded jeans and a black shirt with a brown knapsack pulled over one shoulder. The smile dropped from the girl's face and she brushed back a strand of red hair from her face. "O its just you**. **What do you want? Come to bug the hell out of me some more?" she said with a glare.

The boy laughed, "No, as tempting as that sounds. We have to do a project for Chemistry together, remember?" 

Sora's cheeks flushed a faint shade of pink and Matt couldn't help but think that was cute. "Oooo yea. Sorry I've just been having a really horrible day," she sighed and then kicked at her locker once more. 

"Easy, I think its dead already. Are you trying to open your locker or kill it? Here, let me have a try," the boy said and gently pushed Sora back. He ran his hands over the lock and soon it emitted a satisfied *click*. "See! Not so hard for a master such as myself," beamed Matt lightly. 

"Thanks... I think," the girl said and then shoveled through her mounds of books, papers, old gym clothes, and such. After snatching up what she needed, she turned back to Matt. "So do you wanna do the project at my house? My mother won't be home so..." began Sora. 

"We can make-out?" supplied Matt with a cheeky smile. 

"No, you loser! So we can have full range of the kitchen," she laughed. 

"Hmmm kitchen? What exactly are you planning on doing?" 

With a mischievous smile she said, "You'll see…"

"Kinky." 

"Shut up." Sora gave him a playful punch on the shoulder and the two walked towards the school's exit. 

Thankfully there were less people running about the halls so they weren't threatened with trampling. As they approached the doors however, they could see the rain coming down in wet sheets. 

"O great. This day just keeps getting better and better," sighed the girl sarcastically, with a roll of her auburn hued eyes. 

"What's the matter?" 

"Uhhh can't you see outside? It's raining! Do you have an umbrella we could use?" 

"Umbrella's are for wimps." 

"You calling me a wimp?" Sora asked and her voice held challenge. 

"Maybe..." he responded with a shrug and his eyes glinted. 

"Ha! Fine if you wanna go walk out there and get soaked like an idiot then go ahead but I'm gonna go search for something to cover myself up with." 

"It's only a little water, you baby! What, the great tennis captain can't handle a little rainy wainy?" Matt said in a mock baby voice. 

"I can handle it!" 

Matt grinned mischievously and his azure eyes glimmered. "Prove it."

Taking a look outside, Sora grabbed the boy's hand and dashed out the school doors. Rain fell on all sides and drenched the two, hitting the top of their shoulders and the rises of their cheeks. Sora shrieked at her own action and Matt gasped at the cold feeling. They stood for a full moment just still, holding each other's slick hand and letting the rain crisscross over their skin. 

Finally Matt made the first move. Pulling the girl foreword, he said, "Come on! Let's get going, I wanna be finished with this project as soon as possible!" 

"You and me both!" Sora cried as she chased after Matt and soon caught up with him, their paces synchronized. 

The girl remembered the exhilarating feel of the rain dampening her skin, filling up every nook of her body, and she couldn't help but smile. It felt so good. 'Yea but Matt still hates you...' she told herself grimly, 'The rain can't wash that away'.  

When they were halfway home, Matt could no longer hear Sora's footsteps. He turned to see her some feet away, her arms hugging herself. Approaching her, he asked nonchalantly, "What's the matter, Sora? Can't keep up with my lightening quickness?"

"No! It's just... ummm... well..." Her words dragged off as she blushed faintly. 

"Huh? What is it?" he asked and he couldn't hide the concern in his voice.

"Uhhhh well, the dress I'm wearing is white..." Her face went bright red.

Matt's jaw dropped. "O-O my God!" Sora found it comical how the boy with 100,000,000 comebacks was now reduced to a stuttering imbecile when faced with the half-naked form of a girl.

"Well, stop staring and do something!" she fumed yet giggled at the same time, as the rain fell over her. 

The boy stopped gawking abruptly. "S...Sorry. Here, take my shirt." He started to remove his damp black shirt. 

"No I couldn't..." Sora started to say. 

"Yea you can," Matt replied simply and finished pealing off his shirt. Underneath he wore a white wife-beater tank top and it hugged every muscle in his slim torso. Sora had to conceal her gazes at the handsome sight; she'd never realized the brooding teen could be so attractive.

Sora let him place the shirt over her shoulders and then buttoned it up. "Thanks. You know, you aren't half as bad as I thought you were," she said sincerely. 

Matt couldn't help but think how adorable she looked with the rain falling in her long red hair and the big shirt baggy over her petite frame. "Maybe. Just don't start thinking I'm a gentleman or anything like that." 

"Don't worry, I won't," Sora snorted with a smile and then they resumed their jog towards the girl's house. 

^_^

****

"So how do you wanna construct our models? We could make it out of Styrofoam or Popsicle sticks... What do you think?" Jyou sat on a chair and looked over at his girlfriend, sitting at the edge of his bed and reading the current edition of Teen People. "Mimi!" 

The pink haired girl's head snapped up in attention and she squeaked innocently, "What?" 

"You weren't even listening! How can we finish this project together if you won't even pay attention?" whined the handsome blue-haired boy.

"O come on Jyou! I was reading **and** listening."    

"Yea, then what should we make our models out of huh?" 

"Uhhhh... Calvin Klein?" offered up the girl sheepishly. 

Jyou rolled his dark glasses-framed eyes and pouted. "Very funny, Mimi. But seriously, you really need to get an 'A' on this project in order to pass Mr. Pedrin's class. If you don't then you'll get grounded..." 

"And daddy won't let me see you," finished Mimi sadly. Suddenly her eyes lit up and she squealed so loudly she could have put Mariah Carey to shame. "O MY GOD, I'VE SOOOO GOT IT!" 

Jyou cringed and gave his girlfriend a hesitant look. "You've got what?" 

Mimi dumped out the contents of her purse upon her boyfriend's bed and frantically sifted through the clutter of make up products. "Lipstick? No... Eyeliner? Possibly but not for our project... Blush? Ewww! Why did I even buy this shade?" 

"Mimi, what in the world are you doing?" 

"You'll see in a minute, honey... **A Ha**! Here it is!" The girl held up a plastic bag triumphantly. 

Jyou furrowed his eyes. "Cotton balls? What's so great about that?" 

It was Mimi's turn to roll her hazel eyes. "Duhhh," she giggled. "To make those molecule thingies! We can paint them with nail polish and stick 'em together using toothpicks! Gee, for a genius you sure are dumb."  

Jyou brightened considerably. "Perfect!" he shouted happily, it was his turn to break the sound barrier. 

"Yes, I know," the girl beamed.

The boy moved over to sit beside his girlfriend on the bed and he took out a few of the cotton globs, spreading them out over his dark blue blanket. Then Jyou looked up into Mimi's face and said, "What would I do without you, Mimi-chan?"

"You'd be lost, I know," she said with a smile and then the girl pulled her boyfriend into a long and passionate kiss, gently pushing his glasses up onto his forehead. 

o(^_^)o

**Closing Notes: **New developments abound! Finally a little Sorato! Also Tai got exactly what he deserved. Hehe. Soon to come: enough Sorato to cure any rabid fan's hunger!  


	4. Chapter Four: Looking Back

**My Notes:** Ok this is my FIRST OFFICIAL SORATO FAN FIC! YEA!! :o) Hehe. Anyways, this came to me in a dream so I hope you like it. 

This is addressed to the Sorato fans: Please PLEASE review! I luv to hear from my fellow Yamato/Sora friends. I'm a sucker for reviews and, if I get enough encouragement, I may even do another Sorato. ^_^

To everyone else: Please PLEASE if your not a Sorato fan, still read this. I'm just hoping some people out there are mature enough not to base a review upon my couple pairing and hopefully instead my skill at writing or the plot. Also, I may write a Sorato today and a Taiora tomorrow, it all depends upon how the mood grabs me (though I'm neither a lemon fan nor a Yuri/Taiato. If I ever wrote one I'm afraid I wouldn't do it justice :)  

K well that's enough from me. Good God, maybe I should call this 'My Insane Ramblings That Go On and On_'_ instead. Ha ha. Now on with the fic! 

**Just A Note:** Thanks for the reviews! You guys definitely rock my socks! Now in response to one person's statement/question: yea, Sora and Matt are being a heck of a lot nicer to each other! Sora is taking Mimi's advice and not writing Matt off so quickly. Before, she probably would have responded with indignant and anger to some of Matt's comments but now she's trying to just go along with it and take Matt's humor for what it is I guess. I think Matt is just being himself more too.

::.::Pretty Baby::.:: 

By ~*Jasmine*~

Chapter Four: Looking Back__

****

Sora fumbled with the key and it skidded over the slick surface of her door lock. 'What is it with me and locks?' she thought before finally placing the key in the slot and opening up the door. She entered her dry house, followed close behind by Matt, and the falling rain still rang in her ears. 

"We should probably change," she said and she looked the soaking boy up and down. "My dad's old clothes will probably fit you. Go to the third room on the left, my mom's bedroom, and everything's in the closet. You can wear whatever you like." 

She watched the boy retreat and then went into her own room to change into a pair of dry jeans and a comfortable pail yellow sweater. Sora ran a comb through her wet auburn hair and dried her glistening skin before emerging from her room to see Matt had already changed. He was wearing a pair of jeans and a blue sweatshirt. Her father's stuff was a bit loose on his willowy frame yet it served its purpose. 

Sora collected up their clothes and went downstairs to throw them in the drier before returning back upstairs and joining Matt in the kitchen. 

Without a word she grabbed a box of Swiss Miss and put a kettle of water upon the stove range. 

"Hot chocolate for our project?" Matt asked skeptically. 

Sora giggled. "No, for our tummies, you idiot." 

"O," laughed Matt. As they waited patiently for the water to boil, the boy's eyes wandered over the kitchen. Very small and cozy, everything was off white and floral patterned. He glanced over at the fridge. There was a note from Mrs. Takenouchi that was written in her beautiful, graceful script: 

Sora, 

     Hi honey. I had to go take care of sick Auntie Yunumy 

like I told you this morning. I won't be back until sometime 

on Sunday. I left the rest of the chicken and rice in the fridge 

so you can heat it up whenever and I left you pizza money. 

I trust you to keep the house neat and NO BOYS!!!! 

Love,

Mom

  "Breaking a rule I see. Won't your mom be mad when she finds out you had a guy over while she was away?" said Matt.

"Not if it's strictly for school..." Sora said deviously.

"You can add lying to the list of rules you're breaking," Matt grinned. 

"Excuse me? Are you implying I invited you over here to do more then our project?"

"I ain't implying, baby. I know so." He loved to tease Sora and make her uncomfortable; she shifted on her feet and gave him a deadpan look. 

"Ha. Then you're gonna be disappointed, pal," Sora retorted flatly.

Matt returned to glancing at fridge until his eyes caught on a picture of the Digidestined group all together. There was Mimi and Jyou, she had just stolen his glasses and was wearing them even though they were way too big and looked like they were going to fall off her face while Jyou tried snatching them back. An odd couple that strangely worked. Next was T.K. and Kari, they looked like two little cute chibi dolls as they sat together and Matt's brother had his arm around Kari's shoulder. Even then there had never been a question they would grow up and date; it had always been that way. They were just right for each other; it was made sense because they were T.K.ari. It was just the way it was. Izzy was next, sitting in the middle typing on his bright yellow computer and looking just as adorable as ever. Izzy, the loveably geeky computer nerd who was transferred to a technology institute and completely by-passed high school. After all, who needed high school when you were destined to become the next Bill Gates? The last group was Matt, Sora, and Tai. Matt was standing beside Sora and they were both smiling. Tai had his arm around Sora's shoulder and he was doing a victory sign with his fingers. 

They all looked so happy and young. 

"Hey, you have this picture too?" Matt asked. 

"Yea, it has always been my favorite. Look how cute we all were!" 

"I still am cute." 

"Yea uh hu, sure you are, Matt." 

"You haven't changed all that much either." 

"O I don't know about that," she said and her smile turned bittersweet, staring down into the boiling water and watching bubbles spiral upwards. "Sometimes I feel like a completely different person, ya know? Like that's some other girl who went to the Digiworld and had the greatest summer of her life. Back then I didn't care about make-up and boyfriends and being popular. I liked soccer and beating up boys and didn't mind the smell of sweat, I was a tomboy and life was great." 

"Its called growing up, Sora. Look at me. Back then I was different too. I actually cared about people and I didn't mind showing my emotions once in awhile. But now... I'm different." 'Ever since you broke my heart', he thought reflexively but didn't say. 

Apparently he didn't need to say it, Sora had been waiting for just the right moment. "You know, I don't think I told you before... About how sorry I was and am... for what I did back then. I was too young to know how mean it was to play games with someone's heart but now I realize I was wrong and stupid. I'm sure you probably don't even care anymore but I'm sorry." 

Matt met her crimson gaze. "I'm sorry too, I gotta admit it was some of my fault too. I shouldn't have reacted so dramatically and thrown away our whole friendship. How were you to know that I loved you?" 

Sora gasped, "You...You loved me?"

Matt shrugged and responded, "Yea, I did. But now that's in the past, right? We should just move on, that would be the mature thing to do." 'Huh, this is me saying this? The guy who dwelled on our past for his whole life? God, I am getting too wise for my own good.' 

Sora nodded her head though her scarlet eyes showed she wasn't exactly being truthful to herself. "Agreed."   

The kettle whistled with escaping steam and the girl flicked off the stove. Sora pulled two mugs from the cupboard and used a dishrag to protect herself from the heat as she lifted up the teapot. The hot water poured into the cups and bubbled up. Sora took out two packets of Swiss Miss and emptied out the chocolate powder into the mugs before retrieving a bag of fluffy marshmallows from the cabinet. She plopped a few in their mugs and then headed over to the kitchen table, mugs and marshmallow bag in hand.

"What are you doing?" asked Matt as Sora placed the stuff on the table. 

"You'll see," responded the girl as she went back into the kitchen and retrieved a few bottles of bright food coloring and a box of toothpicks. 

"Enough with the mystery! What do you have planned?" Matt exclaimed pleadingly. 

"Well as much I like to see you tortured, I guess enough is enough," Sora sighed. 

Raising a blonde eyebrow, Matt smirked, "O no, by all means, torture me as much as you like!"

"You have such a filthy mind!" shouted the girl with a laugh. 

"You know it." 

               "Whatever, Casanova. I was thinking for our project we could use colored marshmallows to represent the molecules and stick them together using toothpicks, isn't that a good idea?" gushed Sora.

"Definatly. And also a yummy one." 

And so they set to work dying and sticking and eating (mostly Matt did the eating). Sora had the job of pouring the food coloring onto the little globs of sugar and then handing them to Matt. Soon she heard a lot of nibbling going on and not too much sticking so she looked up to see Matt had eaten almost every marshmallow she had given him! His cheeks were poofed out like a hamster and he caught her gaze with wide eyes.  

"Matt! Those were for the project! And may I say, ewww, they had food coloring on them!"

"Noph mph fauph!" (For all those who can't speak mumble, he is saying 'Not my fault!')

"You jerk! I'll give you a 'Noph mph fauph'!" 

Sora took a marshmallow and lobed it at Matt, striking him right in the forehead. He in turn almost choked on his mallows and then flung one back, hitting her on the cheek. This continued, with marshmallows flying everywhere, until finally Matt was forced to surrender.  

"OK OK white flag! I give up!" Matt shouted. 

Sora still held a marshmallow in her grasp and raised it perilously. 

"You wouldn't strike down a prisoner of war, now would you?" the boy pleaded.

"Maybe. After all, you ate half the bag, you pig!"

"No fair! I was feeling hungry!" 

"And I'm feeling mean!" And with that she flung the marshmallow and Matt ducted just in time. The little glob of sugar flew past his head and hit the wall, making a nasty squishy noise. 

They both erupted into laughter and Matt came out of hiding. "So was this what happened at lunch? You start a food fight?" Matt asked with a chuckle at the thought. 

"Not exactly..." she said uncomfortably, squirming.  

"What then? God, you can tell me stuff you know. I won't go running off to tell 'The National Enquirer' or anything."

"Ya I guess. I can't believe no one's told you yet though, practically the whole school was talking about it."

"Maybe you haven't noticed but I don't exactly keep up on the school rumor mill. Now spill already."

"Alright, alright! Tai and I aren't going out anymore." 

"What? The perfect couple is no more? That's like saying Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston broke up. I'm sure the school is **just** devastated." Most of what he said was sarcastic yet he couldn't deny that he himself was shocked too. Everyone was always talking about how perfect Tai and Sora were together.

"I was just as shocked as the rest of them. But Tai was only using me for popularity and sex..." Sora said and her crimson eyes gathered tears. 

"WHAT! That bastard! You don't need a creep like that, Sora!" Matt fumed.  

"I know... But I can't help but feel like I'm half a person now... I mean, before no one even knew my name yet as soon as I started dating Tai everyone wanted to be my friend or date me. I just felt so special ya know? Like maybe I wasn't a big loser." 

Matt put a hand on Sora's quivering shoulder and savored the warmth. "You're not a loser, Sora. Even without Tai, you're still a great person..." He felt awkward saying those words; they were supposed to be hated enemies. 

"But now, who am I? I was always 'Tai's Girlfriend', now I'm a nobody. Now I'm just 'That Girl Everyone Use To Know But Forgot About'. Maybe Tai was right when he said he made me and he can break me. Maybe I've come unmade..." She whispered the last part as a tear slid down her cheek.  

The boy felt his own blue eyes fill with tears as he slid his hand under Sora's chin and lifted her angelic face to meet his. "You don't need Tai, Sora. He didn't make you. All he did was lie to you and make you think he had. You made yourself; you are your own person. You are Sora Takenouchi and you are perfect," Matt said sincerely and he drew the girl into a soft passionate kiss of tender love. Sora accepted his lips and kissed back with just as much delight. 

Outside the rain fell. 

^_____^

The sun poured in through the window and soaked into Sora's creamy tan skin. With a yawn, she rubbed and opened her sleepy crimson eyes. She was lying on her living room couch beside Matt, his arm around her slim waist. A blanket was draped over them and her head was on his warm shoulder. The young woman smiled and sighed, relishing the feel of the moment.  

*Ding Dong*

It was the doorbell. Sora hesitantly sat up and looked over at Matt. He was still asleep, his face so handsome, when he wasn't running his mouth. (Hehe and even then he's still too cute!) 

The girl got up and walked over to the door, still wearing what she had changed into yesterday after being drenched by the rain. She opened the door and gasped. "TAI?" 

Tai stood out on her stoop with a pretty yellow daisy in his hands and a sheepish smile on his face. "Hi Sor," he said. 

"Hi yourself! What the hell are you doing here?" she shouted, crossing her arms defensively over her chest. 

"I brought you a flower," he said and handed the daisy to her lamely. 

"A **flower**?" 

               "Yea, it's a daisy, Sora. It's your favorite."

"And that's supposed to make me take you back? A daisy?" she questioned, eyeing the offending flower, not at all caring if she was rude.

Tai ignored her comment as he went on, "It's not just any daisy either. It's from Hanako Park. Do you remember that place?" 

Sora replied bitterly yet softly, the anger melting a little at the edges, "Of course I do. Hanako Park was were we had our first date... It's a very special place for me."

"Me too. I was nervous when I brought you there because I thought you'd hate it... but you actually seemed to like it. I set out a blanket and we ate a picnic, remember?"

Sora nodded and her crimson eyes glimmered with nostalgia. "I loved that park. It was so beautiful. We ate under a great big oak and then looked at the passing clouds over on a hill, lying on our backs... And then, just before we left..." 

"... I picked you a daisy and told you every time I gazed upon that flower, I would think of your smile..." finished Tai. 

Sora looked up at Tai as the pleasant memory drifted away just as those clouds they'd watched had done. "But that was a long time ago, Tai. Too much has changed, we've grown too far apart..." 

"I know but its still true, you know. Every time I see a flower I think of your beautiful face. Every time I see a soccer ball I think of you, every time I see a smile, a pretty bird, a girl's laugh, a tennis racket, the color yellow. God, you are everywhere, everywhere I turn! I just can't stop thinking of you, Sor," he told her urgently, the glint in his eyes of someone who had just lost their entire world.   

"It will pass in time, Tai. We've just got to move on," began Sora, although she shared in his sentiment. Every place they'd gone, all their memories, were tied up in him. 

"But I don't want to let it go," he said and a tear slid down his cheek. "... Because then that means I'd have to let you go and I... I just can't. It's like I can't function without you as my girlfriend."

"I know how you feel, Tai, but you hurt me real bad you know." Her eyes were tearing up as well but she was trying to bite them back. 

"Yes, I was an idiot. I never should have done that to you. But is my one mistake enough to throw away a three year relationship, Sor?" 

"... I don't know," Her resolve had crumbled, the last stone of it wobbling perilously. 

"Because I don't know what to do without you... It's always been you and me, Sor." And with those words the stone fell.  

Tai pulled Sora to his chest and kissed her. Their lips met and they fell together coldly. Sora didn't push away, she wasn't certain any longer. 'Maybe Tai's right. Maybe one mistake shouldn't jeopardize a relationship like ours', she thought. Somehow though this felt forced, like it was a kiss between two people who had outgrown each other yet were too scared to see they had. Sora was afraid: afraid of being alone and having to be just Sora Takenouchi... So she kissed back.

"What are you two doing?" came a shocked gasp behind Sora. 

The girl broke the kiss and turned to see Matt standing a few feet behind her. He looked bewildered and betrayed, a flash of resentment in his pallid cerulean eyes. 

"I... We..." stuttered Sora, unable to think properly. 

"So you're back together then and I'm just some misfortuned loser who was fun for a while but not good enough in the long run, huh?" spit Matt, his words hoarse with bitter tears. 

"No that's not how it is at all! I was just... I didn't mean to hurt you again..." 

"Yea that's one thing you seem good at, Sora - breaking hearts," he whispered spitfully. 

Matt pushed past Sora and leaped down the steps. The girl started to run after him and Tai reached out a hand to stop her.        

"Sora, don't go after him. He'll get over it," Tai said and it was familiar tasting in his mouth, like he'd said that once before. 

Sora ran past Tai and down the street, following Matt's retreating form. Yet it was no use; even if she did catch up, what was she going do, force him to forgive her? She just had to give it time... So she slowed down and watched Matt disappear.

@_@

Sora lifted her bedroom phone up to her ear and dialed Mimi's number by heart. After a few rings a woman with a nasally high pitched voice answered. 

"Hello. Mrs. Tachikawa speaking."

"Hi ma'am. This is Sora Takenouchi." 

"Darling! How have you been holding up?" 

"Well, I'm fine..." 

"O that's great! Don't let men get you down, sweetheart. They're not worth a single tear so don't worry your pretty little head over them." 

"You're right, Mrs. Tachikawa... Is Mimi home?"

"Yes of course darling. Wait one moment." 

There was a long pause and Sora lay back on her bed, studying her ceiling. Suddenly a high-pitched girl's voice, similar to Mimi's mother's, traveled over the line. 

"Sora?" 

"Mimi! O my God, you will not believe what happened yesterday!" 

"SPILL!" 

So Sora blabbed the whole situation between Matt, Tai, and her. After she was finished there was a long silence (So unusual when dealing with Mimi) until Sora finally broke it.

"So? What do you think?" 

"... Ummm... Well, I'm sorta confused... So you're with... Tai now?"

"I think so..." 

"You think so?" 

"Ya, I'm just as confused as you, Mimi. I mean, Tai was an ass before but we have a whole big long past together... But Matt is just... Well, when I'm with him I feel kind of like my true self, like I could care less about what everyone else thinks and I can be just me. I can't deny I have feelings for him."

"Sora, sounds like you have a problem..." 

"You could say that again." 

"And you know what my answer is to all problems?" 

"What, o great dating guru?"

"Shopping!" 

"... Shopping?" 

"Yea! It's exactly what you need! Clear your head of all this confusion and stretch those fashion muscles!"

"I guess it wouldn't be bad to get out for a while..." 

"Def and I don't wanna sound insensitive to your dating woes or anything, but... I NEED TO GET A DRESS FOR THE PROM!" 

 "O God! I almost forgot! It's coming up in three weeks!" 

"Ya and I need to uphold my standard of greatness by getting a slammin gown. I'll pick you up at three then so we can head to the mall OK?" 

"Sure. I'll be waiting. And don't be late like you always are!"  

"My, my. When will you learn darling, beauty like mine takes time."

"Yea whatever, Ms prima donna. I gotta go. Lata." 

"Chow."

The girl hung up the phone and then got up to get ready. It took her about twenty minutes to get dressed, put her sparse covering of make-up on, and do her hair. She decided on wearing a pair of stretchy white shorts that showed off her tan long legs and a pretty yellow tank top. She tied her hair back in a ponytail and then applied some lip-gloss. Then Sora sat out in the living room and watched the clock. It was about 4:30 when Mimi's silver Mitsubishi Eclipse finally screeched into her driveway.

Sora ran out to the passenger's seat and glared at her friend. "You were supposed to be here an hour and a half ago!" scolded the girl. 

Mimi wore a dusky pink skirt and a white shirt that had scrawled across it in hot fuchsia diamonds: You Can't Afford Me. Her long light pink hair was let free to trail down her back and dark shaded sunglasses covered her hazel eyes. "Sorry. I had to argue with daddy about letting me take his credit card. I swear, that guy can be such a stick in the mud sometimes," Mimi whined. 

Sora rolled her eyes as she sat down and Mimi backed up away from her house. "Ya well compared to you, Mimi, we all are," she laughed. 

The car sped down the road at a racecar driver's pace and Mimi giggled, "So true, Sora."

When they finally got to the mall, three almost-accidents away, it was 5:00. Sora and Mimi began their hunt for good Prom dresses not already taken or worn by most of the girls in school. Sora found hers first and Mimi did after about 2 hours of continues shopping. (I'm not gonna say what the gowns looked like because that would ruin the surprise! :oP) 

It was 7:00 when finally they sat down at India, their favorite restaurant, to eat. 

"God! I could eat a horse and its saddle!" Sora said as she glanced over the menu. 

"How appetizing," remarked Mimi with a wrinkled up nose. 

"Yea well beggars can't be choosers." 

After ordering two mango shakes and a marinated chicken breast for Sora and a lamb kabob for Mimi, the girls were ready to talk business. 

"So now let me get this whole thing straight," said Mimi between sips of her yummy shake. "You were going out with Tai before and everything was good..." 

"Somewhat good," corrected Sora. 

Mimi began again. "OK, so you were going out with Tai and things were 'somewhat good' but then you found out he was using you so you dumped his ass like a bad habit... Good show by the way, everyone thinks you are now a powerful diva... OK back on topic. After that Matt had to come over to your house to do a project and one thing led to another and before you knew it you were all over each other..." 

"We kissed, that's all," butted in Sora again.

"Yea yea. Let's just say you guys became more then platonic. Everything is starting to look good, right? Matt is actually not running his mouth and you guys are all into each other... How did you put it? O yea, he makes you feel 'real' or something like that..." 

"Yea close enough." 

"But then Mr. I-Can-Hurt-Sora's-Feelings-Because-I'm-Popular shows up and apologizes. You forgive him and kiss him..." 

"I still haven't completely forgiven him..." 

"Ya well you guys kiss right? So Matt sees you two and runs off to sulk and write a bad, 'love-sucks' ballad. Have I got it all down?" 

"Yea pretty much. Ya know, hearing it from someone else makes me realize just how wacked out the situation really is." 

"You're telling me... So what's the problem then? You're with Tai right, what's the matter?" 

Sora looked down at her half eaten chicken and sadly stated, "I don't know if he is who I should be with... Both Tai and Matt are special to me, I care for them both. They both make me feel a certain way..." 

"Listen," Mimi began what was no doubt to be her important advice for the day. "Don't worry too much about it for now. Prom is coming up; this should be one of the happiest times of your whole high school life! Just go with the flow and you'll find out soon enough which guy is right for you, your heart will lead the way." 

"Is it just me or do you grow more intelligent every day, Mimi?" laughed Sora. 

The brown haired girl giggled and finished slurping the last drops of mango from her glass. "Yes I know. I think Jyou's rubbing off on me." 

"'Bout time," snorted Sora playfully and she received a soft kick from under the table. 

"Yea and you are starting to run your mouth just like Matt!" 

"But I'm with Tai." 

"Uh hu, I know. Doesn't mean the guy can't rub off on you though, among other things."

Sora gasped, "I would never do any other thing with that guy! I told you, as of now I am Tai's girlfriend. End of story." 

"Yea uh hu... So you want me to pay?"

"No of course not! We'll go dutch. My mother gave me some money that I could use while she's away because you know me, just a messily penny to my name." 

"All right. Daddy probably will be happier that way. He will have a cow as it is when the bill for my new gown and heels comes in the mail!" 

The girls paid for their meal and then Mimi drove Sora home. All the while, Sora pondered Mimi's words of advice. 

~$_$~

**Closing Notes: **Did anyone see that coming? -_-;; Matt and Sora have kissed and yet again Sora chooses Tai over Matt. For some reason she just can't seem to let go of what she and Tai had. What's going to happen next? Somehow I have a feeling everything will come to a head at Prom! 


	5. Chapter Five: Scraps And Bruises

**My Notes:** Ok this is my FIRST OFFICIAL SORATO FAN FIC! YEA!! :o) Hehe. Anyways, this came to me in a dream so I hope you like it. 

This is addressed to the Sorato fans: Please PLEASE review! I luv to hear from my fellow Yamato/Sora friends. I'm a sucker for reviews and, if I get enough encouragement, I may even do another Sorato. ^_^

To everyone else: Please PLEASE if your not a Sorato fan, still read this. I'm just hoping some people out there are mature enough not to base a review upon my couple pairing and hopefully instead my skill at writing or the plot. Also, I may write a Sorato today and a Taiora tomorrow, it all depends upon how the mood grabs me (though I'm neither a lemon fan nor a Yuri/Taiato. If I ever wrote one I'm afraid I wouldn't do it justice :)  

K well that's enough from me. Good God, maybe I should call this 'My Insane Ramblings That Go On and On_'_ instead. Ha ha. Now on with the fic! 

::.::Pretty Baby::.:: 

By ~*Jasmine*~

Chapter Five: Scraps And Bruises 

              It was a usual dull Monday morning. Gilded light seeped in through the classroom windows and Mr. Pedrin sat behind his desk, watching the students as they performed over the frames of his glasses. As students filled up in groups to give their presentations, the rest of the class attempted unsuccessfully not to drift off into unconsciousness. Sora strummed her fingers distractedly on the top of her desk. She pushed a strand of cinnamon hair behind her ear and crossed and recrossed her legs a few dozen times, trying her best to seem interested. However she couldn't help from having her gaze drift back to Yamato every other minute; he was sitting slouched in his chair, his arms folded over his chest. 'He's being unusually silent. He hasn't even looked at me once... God, I can't blame him for hating me. **I **even hate me a little. I just wish things hadn't turned out like this.' 

       Mimi and Jyou wrapped up their presentation and then walked to their seats, Mimi giving Jyou a victory hug for a job well done. 

       Mr. Pedrin smiled and his caterpillar mustache stretched across his lip. "Ok, well that was very informative. Thank you, Mimi and Jyou. Now up next is... Sora and Yamato," he told the class.

       Sora stood and walked to the front of the room, holding the models in her palms gently. She wore black pants that fit to her long slender legs and a sleeveless powder blue turtleneck shirt. Matt followed, sliding from his seat and striding up front, his hands digging into his denim pockets. He was wearing a plain black button down shirt, untucked and slightly wrinkled. Sora glanced once at his face, trying to read his emotions, but his features were still and expressionless, his eyes never matching hers. 

       The auburn haired girl held out the marshmallow, multihued structures for the class to view and began, "Thank you, Mr. Pedrin. For our material we chose the edible option of..."

       Yamato suddenly interjected loudly, a feigned smile wide on his face, "Edible panties! Come on, there's enough for the whole class!" The students all broke out into raucous laughter at his antics and Mr. Pedrin furrowed his eyebrows in annoyance, ticking off points on the tally sheet with his red pen.

       Sora glanced at him icily and in confusion. Plastering on a grin she spoke over the din of voices, "Ha ha. What a kidder he is!" Then she tried to direct everyone's attention back to their models, continuing on, "Actually we used marshmallows, and to stick them together we used toothpicks..."

       Matt met her gaze and there was vicious malice in his pallid eyes. He propped his hands on his sides and questioned with a click of his tongue, "Toothpick? Well that's just plain rude. I'm not that small down there, am I? I wasn't last night, according to you."

       Again the class erupted in spouts of laughter and the girl with the platinum hair and heavily caked face giggled and bit her lip, her eyes never leaving the front of Matt's pants. Sora's high cheeks flushed petal pink and she hissed in a hushed tone, her crimson eyes swollen wide, "What are you doing! Are you **purposely** trying to get me a bad grade, Matt?"

       The young man with the disheveled flaxen hair smirked and yet his grief was thinly veiled. "Just shooting to have a memorable presentation like you want," he whispered in return. 

       The husky teacher cut in finally and snapped sharply, "Matt, please control yourself. Thank you."

       Yamato turned his head to face Mr. Pedrin and smiled winningly. "No, sir, **thank you**. It was such a good idea to have Sora and I work together. You were right; all we needed to do was get to know each other. And **boy** did we, if you get my meaning," he gushed, wagging his eyebrows suggestively, "Sora sure can put out! I had no idea tennis could make someone that flexible..." The students by now were being rocked with laughter, slapping their desktops.

       Sora could feel anger and humility rising scarlet in her face. She tried to remain dignified as she shouted urgently, "He's joking everyone! That is not true at all."

       The blonde haired boy faced her once again, finally meeting her directly in the eyes and yet still keeping up the façade of this being just one giant joke; another attempt at getting under Ms Popular's skin. "Its not? Why don't you say what you really mean then, huh Prom Queen? That you wouldn't touch someone like me with a ten-foot pole," he inquired. 

       The young woman could feel the tears brimming in her glistening sunset eyes. Taking in a breath, she shook her head softly, spraying strands of scarlet hair across her face, and replied quietly, "That's a lie..."

       The grin twisted and grew taut, fake. "Well at least not in public right? Around everyone I'm a leper to you aren't I? Watch out guys, I have the dreaded 'misfit' disease. Its highly contagious, you can only not get it if you act like I'm lower than human life," he mocked, his joke growing menacing.  

       She could feel a tear threatening to fall and she held her chin higher, saying, "Matt, I know you're mad but please, this is not the time and place..."

       The smile was only a slight fracture now; Yamato's eyes were flecked with anger. 'She tore your heart out again, **you** let her do it, you stupid fool.' He spat, "No, you know what Sor? I think this is the perfect fucking time and place - in front of everyone. They all think so highly of you, there's this damn mystique around you. 'Perfect little Sora can never do anything wrong.' Well maybe if they opened their eyes they would see just exactly the kind of person you really are - someone who could give a shit about anyone but herself. You treat people like crap and then expect everyone to buy your bull that you're this great person." The laughter had dissolved and the class was looking on with shocked, puzzled stares now. Sora too shared in their sentiment, unable to respond, her breath shallow in her lungs. "You even had me fooled. I thought 'Hey maybe this girl isn't so bad; maybe she isn't the shallow and vain brat I always thought she was. Maybe I judged too soon.' God was I an idiot! You're still the same old Sora, still a selfish snot," he continued cruelly, finding relief in the metallic flecks of hurt and discomfort bubbling in the beauty's eyes.   

       Mr. Pedrin stood from his desk and shouted, "Yamato Ishida, that's enough! You have always been one for class theatrics but this is crossing the line, young man."

       Yamato swung around, a crooked smile slipping roguishly on his lips. He snickered, "What a surprise, Mr. Pedrin sticking up for his prized pupil."

       The husky man glared defensively and questioned with an edged, straining anger, "Are you suggesting I favor some of my students over others? How dare you, Matt." 

         The blonde haired boy knew he was treading over dangerous grounds with his teacher but at this point he could care less. "No, I think I'm doing a little **more** than suggesting, sir. I bet Sora wouldn't have had to say one word just now - she could have made her models out of used gum - and you still would have given her an 'A'," he stated matter-of-factly.

        Mr. Pedrin stood from his desk and tore off his small glasses, his eyes glinting with the flare of a temper. "I grade all my students on a level basis, even though I don't see why I have to explain myself to you," he said in almost a shout. 

       Sora took a step foreword, her hands clenched in fists by her sides. The petite girl cried out in indignant, "Yes, I work for my grades! Maybe if you spent less time jerking off you'd get the same good grades, instead of whining about it." Her previous grief was now being penetrated by anger. 'After all, who is he to judge anyone? He's just some asshole who is always down on everybody! I hurt him, I know I have, but he's taking things too far.'

       Yamato's body was rigid, his words tainted with grief and pain. "I guess you're right, I guess I should just follow your example huh Prom Queen? Hey, maybe I should join the tennis team just so I can wear those uniform short skirts? Then I can date an asshole jock and put out on the first date. Maybe I can give up all shreds of my humanity and become a soulless bitch while I'm at it?" he taunted, glowering.

       Mr. Pedrin was known for keeping his level disposition even under the most straining of situations, yet now the blood rushed over his temples and he gritted his teeth. He barked, "I've had enough, I will not have my class room turned into a three ring circus! You are working on a one-way ticket to the principal's office, young man."

       The crimsoned haired beauty by Yamato's side sensed what was ahead and gazed up at the boy with plaintiff eyes. Somehow, after all he had said, Sora still found enough emotion in her to care and whisper in a hushed tone, her voice pleading, "Matt, **stop**. Don't." 

       The young man met her gaze coldly, his deep eyes narrowed, and replied icily, so that the entire class could hear, "Before I even opened my mouth I was getting a fucking 'F' anyway so what do I care?"

        The teacher's round cherry cheeks bobbed as he roared intensely, "The principal! **Now**!" He held an arm out straight to gesture to the door and Sora watched the sullen, vindictive teen stomp off, slamming the door behind him. The class stayed silent, their eyes broad with shock. 

T_T 

         The day was vivid and singing, a horizon of untainted blue stretching out beyond the confines of the school. The small courtyard was filled with the newborn scent of spring blossoms spilling open their pink and blue petals. The gardening kids, the teens that always walked around with dirt caked knees, were busy in the little potting shed and the tree awnings shifted restlessly with the pallid breeze. Seniors milled about, eating their lunches, since it had long been a school tradition that a senior privilege was being able to eat outside instead of having to deal with all those screeching underclassmen in the caf.  

       Mimi rushed up to her friend, Sora, at their usual reserved table. Her long jean skirt billowed with her movements and she was dressed in a tight fitting white tank top, her long fuchsia hair pulled half up. She skipped completely over the usual greetings and went right for the juicy stuff, questioning breathily, "Sora! What was that all about in science?" 

       The red head looked up at her friend and responded lacklusterly, shrugging, "I'm not sure." 

       Mimi slid into the chair before Sora and remarked innocently, not really getting the hint that Sora would have rather talked about anything but Yamato Ishida right about now, "He was bugging out! Yamato sure hates you."

       Sora sighed at her friend's insightful observation and stared at the ground. "Can you blame him? This whole situation sucks. I'm starting to get really sick of high school," she muttered, something she would have never even thought of before. High school was her glory years, Sora wouldn't be like one of those jocks who became a balding gym teacher but she had always loved high school. Now it didn't seem all that important, all the teen gossip and drama just wasn't worth it anymore.  

       Just then Tai entered the courtyard flanked by his entourage of soccer players and groupies. He approached Sora, a mask of concern on his handsome tan face. "Babe, are you alright? I heard what happened, everyone is talking about it," he questioned, standing behind her as she turned to face him and placing a strong palm on her shoulder.

       Sora forced out a smile although it was weary from over-use. She replied dryly, her auburn eyes glistening with sarcasm, "I'm sure they are. Ya I'm fine, it really wasn't that big of a deal."

       The young man's nostrils flared and his eyes glowered with a flicker of a temper. He exclaimed with frustration, "Like Hell it wasn't! Where's this asshole, we need to work this out man to man!"

       The petite girl shot up to her feet, snapping with her cinnamon eyes wide, "Tai, you'll only make things worse. Please drop it already ok?"

       Tai snorted, "No way! No one talks to my girl like that."  His gaze was roving over the courtyard until it rested on Yamato sitting under a tree alone. Without hesitation he stormed over towards him, his posse following.

       The brunette haired boy halted over Yamato, loaming over him. "What do you think you're doing, freak?" he spat.

       Yamato glanced upwards coolly, his arm propped up on one raised knee. "I think I'm sitting under a tree," he sniffed in annoyance. He normally would have left by now because he never stayed in school for lunch, but after being sent to the principals earlier that day, the school officials were already watching out for him. All they needed was to see him strolling off the school property to gain an out of school suspension. 

       Tai narrowed his dark eyes and said angrily, "Cute, real cute. Stop being a smart ass, Matt. Who do you think you are huh? You embarrassed my girlfriend in front of her entire class and made her get a bad grade."

       Bands of light passed between the awning branches above to glide butter cream patterns over his pale skin. By now the teen realized this couldn't be solved without facing Tai at eye level so he stood, standing a few inches over the jock. "A 'B' hardly counts as a bad grade and why don't you say what you're really mad about, Tai? That maybe people in school have started seeing Sora differently and now there's a small chance she might not get Prom Queen? That's all you really care about anyway, your popularity," he remarked coldly. 

       The young man was raging, his hands balled up into fists by his side. He cried out in annoyance, "Shut your face, Ishida, before I do it for you! You are so off base sometimes, but then again it's easy to be judgmental when you don't give a fuck to begin with."

        Yamato glared and shot back, "Maybe. Maybe you're right; maybe I don't give a crap about this school and these people and maybe it's easier for me to judge. Doesn't make what I say any less true though."

       Sora finally broke her silence, standing beside Tai and facing Yamato. "Guys, stop it. Hasn't enough happened today already?" she questioned anxiously. 

       Tai shook his head, sending brown hair careening against his brow, and he spoke to her yet stared at Matt, "No, Sora. This punk needs his ass kicked; he's always running his mouth because he's a whiny little flamer."

       A slight smirk came over the young man's handsome face; a soft breeze rustling his dark flaxen locks. "Ah, I knew you'd say something along those lines, all you jocks do. Funny, you're the ones who get all sweaty with the other soccer preps and then don't you guys take a nice long shower afterwards? But I guess you're just taking one for the team," he mocked, digging his hands into his jean pockets.

       The shorter boy's face flushed with anger and he thrust a finger foreword, jabbing it into Matt's chest. "Listen, Yamato, I've had all I can take of you! Don't go near me and don't even think of **looking** at Sora understood?" he growled.

        Yamato merely continued smiling smugly and shrugging. "The less I see of you the better but I don't know about Sora. For the last minute I've been undressing her with my eyes," he quipped. 

This sent Tai reeling with anger and he lunged foreword. He used his forearm to push up against Yamato's shoulders and neck, crushing his windpipe and pining him against the tree trunk. With his other fist he struck out and slammed Yamato across the face. Students around gathered and gasped in shock and horror. Yamato didn't even have a chance to strike back, he was too busy grasping at Tai's arm that was wresting over his throat, slowly chocking out his air. Sora screamed, "Tai, get off!" She clutched her boyfriend's arm as he reared back to strike again and held on to it with all her strength, finally pulling Tai off the wounded boy. 

She glared at Tai in anger, her pretty scarlet eyes tinged with sadness and fury. "Will you stop with this testosterone trip already? God, Tai, this is not helping anyone!" she cried, still holding onto Tai's arm encase he tried to do anything again.

Yamato was using the back of his hand to brush away a trickle of blood spilling from his lip, his right eye was beginning to swell, promising to be fresh and black with a bruise tomorrow morning. He glowered at Tai and the jock met his gaze with an equally as hostile stare. He commented, "You know, you're right. He's not even worth it. He's just a pathetic loser whose still crying over loosing his dream girl. You just never get it, man; Sora's made her decision and its me. Deal." Then Tai turned and yanked Sora away from Yamato, out of the courtyard. The young woman looked back just once, strands of hair falling over her shoulders, before turning away again, solemn grief in her eyes.

**:-\**

**Closing Notes: **Sorry, it was sorta a teaser for the Prom chapter! I was kinda mad when that person reviewed saying this was a typical fic where Tai was the bad guy and Yamato was the Prince Charming. Uh excuse me but what fic are you reading? Because in mine neither are perfect! Tai may be an ass and a jock who cares for little except his popularity, but while Yamato has always loved Sora, or did love her, he has major emotional issues and feels easier when expressing anger rather than anything else. Besides my favorite fics have always been those that take an old topic and reinvent it but o well, people have their opinions I guess... *Sigh*


	6. Chapter Six: This Is It

**My Notes:** Ok this is my FIRST OFFICIAL SORATO FAN FIC! YEA!! :o) Hehe. Anyways, this came to me in a dream so I hope you like it.

This is addressed to the Sorato fans: Please PLEASE review! I luv to hear from my fellow Yamato/Sora friends. I'm a sucker for reviews and, if I get enough encouragement, I may even do another Sorato. ^_^

To everyone else: Please PLEASE if your not a Sorato fan, still read this. I'm just hoping some people out there are mature enough not to base a review upon my couple pairing and hopefully instead my skill at writing or the plot. Also, I may write a Sorato today and a Taiora tomorrow, it all depends upon how the mood grabs me (though I'm neither a lemon fan nor a Yuri/Taiato. If I ever wrote one I'm afraid I wouldn't do it justice :)

K well that's enough from me. Good God, maybe I should call this 'My Insane Ramblings That Go On and On_'_ instead. Ha ha. Now on with the fic!

**Added Note: **Sorry to Koori Chan! I wasn't really mad, I was just on the defensive I guess because its hard not to take reviews personal. I guess I shouldn't though and I'm sorry if I seemed really huffy! (I'm not!) ^o_~^ Thanks and sorry again!

::.::Pretty Baby::.:: 

By Jasmine

Chapter Six: This Is It 

Life went on as always for Sora. She dated Tai for the time being, pretending as if nothing happened, and hastily got caught up in the frantic Prom frenzy. She had volunteered to help decorate the day of the Prom. It was scheduled to be held in the beautiful garden at Hanako Park, just by the water, and she was sure everything would turn out great. Time went by in a blur and before anyone was prepared or ready, it was Saturday. Prom day.

**^________^**

The garden looked so magnificent and eerily beautiful. Flowers spilled open their pale petals from every side in colorful exotic array, scenting the warm night air with their sweet floral aroma. Pastel streamers hung in the lush canopy of the small white-barked trees along with pretty silver paper lanterns and tables and a few chairs were set about around a wooden platform used for dancing. A live band stood close by, playing pretty classical music as well as pop favorites. Fireflies fluttered in the air and looked like tiny beacons of hope in an oasis of metallic moonlight. Everything came together really well and was just so breathtaking.

Sora and Taichi were among the first to arrive, as it seemed the duty of the future Prom King and Queen to greet everyone as they arrived, or so Tai thought and Sora went along with it. As people filtered in, dressed in their best eveningwear, each one commented on how stunning Sora appeared. It was true. The young woman was adorned in a white strapless gown that was studded with pretty sparkly diamonds that trailed down her bodice and to her floor length hem and fit her slender form perfectly. She wore her gleaming auburn hair down, in small wavy strands, so that it lay like a shimmering waterfall down her back to her shoulder blades and a diamond rose necklace accentuated her swan-like neck.

Soon almost everyone had arrived and Prom was getting underway, Sora grew restless. "Do you think we could go dance now, Tai?" she asked in his ear as people passed by.

Tai firmly shook a boy's hand and smiled. He looked very handsome in his black tux and his brown hair was actually tame. "Not everyone has arrived yet, babe," he replied back.

A cool breeze passed by with a damp heaviness to it. The young woman glared at her boyfriend with her glimmering crimson eyes. "O yes, I've forgotten how much you like to keep up with your Prom King image," Sora remarked bitterly. 'Why am I so upset at him? This is who Tai is, why can't I just accept that? Why does it feel like I'm constantly looking for a reason to argue... to break up even?' The girl mentally asked herself.

The boy sighed, weary of Sora's growing resentment towards him. "Stuff like this is important to me, Sor. I'm sorry if it isn't that interesting to you but it is to me. Why don't you go dance with Mimi and I'll go over after everyone's arrived?" he replied.

'Because I need to dance with **you**! Please Tai, dance with me now or we may never get another chance... I'll know this isn't meant to be...'her mind cryptically wanted her to say but instead she said_, _"All right. See you later Tai."

Then Sora headed into the mass of people on the dance floor until she came upon Mimi. Her best friend was wearing a lovely velvet petal pink dress that was long and backless and fit her slender curvy body perfectly. Her long pink hair was held up in an intricate weaving of curls and she was moving to the music wildly, her strappy pink pumps long ago discarded in favor of comfort.

"Hey Mimi," Sora said not at all enthusiastically, forcing out a slight smile that disappeared behind bands of swollen moonlight.

The young woman didn't even stop dancing as she said over the music, "Hey Sora. You look so fabulous!"

"Ya you too! So where's Jyou, your Prince Charming?" she questioned, not really dancing along, just standing there and watching the sea of people envelope her.

She laughed a little and her lush eyelashes outlined in pink eyeliner brushed her high cheeks, "Off getting me some punch. Do you believe that! He is always such a gentleman! How about Tai? I figured you two would be off dancing the night away."

Sora sighed with exasperation, "I thought so too but you know Tai, always looking presentable and upstanding. I bet you he wouldn't even have come unless the Prom offered him a chance to show off his popularity."

The pink haired girl finally stopped dancing to offer up a comforting hand on Sora's shoulder. "I'm sorry Sora," she said softly and her hazel eyes, flecked with dancing gold specks, were full of compassion.

Suddenly the music, which had previously been some fast paced beat, was now changed to a soft melody.  Jyou came through the crowd of people and approached the two young women. He looked gorgeous in his black tux and luminescent dark blue tie. Jyou's dark eyes were actually free of his glasses (contacts, people) and his raven hair was gelled back. He smiled at Sora and Mimi and said bashfully, "Hello ladies. Do you mind if I have this dance, Mimi Tachikawa?"

Mimi smiled brightly and squealed, "Of course, my Jyou!"

The couple ran off into the middle of the dance floor and left Sora standing by herself. The girl trudged over to a table and sat down on a chair all alone. As the music played enchantingly and pairs spun around the dance floor like children's colorful whirling tops, Sora sat with her chin in her hands and thought sadly, 'Who knew the most popular girl in high school and future Prom Queen would end up sitting alone? If I wasn't so depressed I would laugh at the irony.'

The minutes flew by like the delicate golden wings of a butterfly and soon it was the final hour of the dance. Sora was still miserably sitting on her chair; Tai hadn't even talked to her once since he'd started his post at the entrance of the Prom. She had eventually realized Matt wasn't making an appearance at the Prom and Sora wasn't completely surprised at this fact. These dances weren't his thing; he thought they were just some reason for people to get all glamed up and gossip some more... And he wasn't entirely wrong on that fact.

The principal, Mr. Junily, stood up on the platform and the band quieted. Everyone held in their laughter at his powder blue vintage tux and obvious ill-fitted wig. He cleared his throat and then spoke into the microphone. "Hello senior class of 2003! Your Prom looks wonderful, you really pulled it off! I have come to know each and every one of you, and there is no doubt in my mind that you all are capable of great things. All of you are winners! Yet there are two people, rather one young man and one young woman, who stand out as two fantastic and generous individuals. They have helped our school in many ways and aided their peers. I think you all know to whom I'm referring to: Prom King and Queen of 2003!"

The teens cheered and Mr. Junily's green eyes shown with pride. He pulled a small yellow envelope from his coat pocket and opened it. A smile spread upon his craggy face as he looked up at the sea of kids and said, "Prom King this year is... Taichi!" The young people cheered loudly and boys hooted for their friend. Tai feigned a look of surprise as he grinned brightly and ran up to the stage, slapping high fives along the way. A girl placed a golden crown upon his head that looked both cheesy and somehow impressive at the same time.

As the crowd quieted, Mr. Junily prepared to read the other name on his paper. "And the Prom Queen of 2003, the young woman who will accompany Taichi in their solo dance and is very close to everyone's heart, is... Sora Takenouchi!" The teens erupted in applause, whistles, and whoops. If it was possible, the roar was even more ear shattering then Tai's. The young woman blushed and grinned at all the attention she was receiving. Mimi hugged her best friend with tears welling up in her hazel eyes as she giggled happily, "I knew you would become Queen, Sor... Besides, Princess is already taken!"  Sora walked over to the stage and a tiara of sparkling diamonds, matching the gems on her gown, was nestled upon her head of silky auburn hair.

"Two more responsible and generous students I have never known. And now, for their royal solo dance!" Mr. Junily bellowed over the din and the band began to play softly. The music spiraled out beautifully like the sweet tapered fingers and Tai leaned foreword and wordlessly took Sora's small hand in his, leading her out to the center of the scuffed dance floor. The crowd parted and gazed at the couple as if they really were royalty. The young man put two strong arms around Sora's waist and the girl let her hands fall around Tai's neck, feeling his warmth spread through her body.

As their feet moved in slow circles and their bodies swayed in unison, Tai let his lips touch her ear, kissing it and whispering at the same time, "You are breathtaking tonight, Queen Sora."

Everything was so enchanting and intoxicating. The scent of the sugary flowers and Tai's strong cologne filled her nostrils and the moonlight brushed over their bodies like the kind caress, outlining them in glistening blue. Tiny little lightening bugs danced in circles around their heads, reflecting in the crimson orbs of Sora's eyes. The young woman let the feeling overtake her and yet she felt somehow... trapped, unable to breath. "As are you, my King," she said softly, struggling against the dizziness that filled her mind like a thick haze.

He smiled and said in a hushed tone, "You're the only one I'd want by me tonight, Sor."

Sora was fighting to utter a reply when suddenly a cool wet drop hit the rise of her bare shoulder. She gasped and peered up at a stormy dark heaven as rain abruptly began to pour forth. Drop after drop plummeted earthbound and hit the two teens whom were still holding each other in stunned embrace. Shrieks from girls worried about ruining their fine evening wear and hollers from men who were more worried about their expensive suits filled the turbulent air and there was a frantic mad dash for the only cover in a close distance: their parked cars in a asphalt lot some feet away. Even Mr. Junily half waddled, half jogged to his awaiting mini-van, all the while shaking his head and shouting, "But the weatherman predicted a clear starry night! **Damn **that weatherman!"

Tai was just as worried about his new tux and he grabbed Sora's arm, tugging her foreword. "Come on. Let's get out of this rain."

But Tai's girlfriend was busy looking up and holding her palm out to catch the crystal drops upon her warm flesh. "It's beautiful," she whispered in apparent bliss, staring at a dark sky dotted by plummeting streaks of silver rain.

"Excuse me?" Tai asked, his jaw agape and his face was stamped with confusion.

Sora replied without even looking at him. "I love the rain," she laughed a bit as a drop hit the tip of her nose.

Tai's brown eyebrows knit together and he said sternly, "Since when? Its cold and wet and intrusive..."

"... And natural and brilliant and totally unexpected," the young woman finished his sentence with a smile brightening her glistening face. The rain fell on, spiraling along her skin and making delicate patterns.

The boy shook his head of soaking wet hair and clutched the girl's wrist once again. "Come on. You're not thinking clearly," he stated and began to tug his Queen towards the parking lot.

Yet Sora slipped from his grasp and took hold of the same hand that held her. She lifted his open hand up to the sky, palm vulnerable to each pulse of rainwater that spilled forth, in one flowing movement. With a look of pleading in her voice, she said, "No! For the first time in my life I am seeing clearly. Can't you see it?"

The young man snatched his hand away from Sora and snapped, "No, I can't. All I know is my brand new suit is getting soaked." His brown eyes were burning with annoyance and confusion.

"Forget about your damn tux!" the girl shouted suddenly, her breaths heaving in her throat. Sora regained herself a bit, sadness claiming her cinnamon eyes, and took in a long gasp; the red hair plastered to her skin and framing her beautiful oval face in damp tendrils. Her crimson eyes were filled with regret and wisdom. After a long moment, she spoke again and her voice was neither soft nor loud, "I think... I think we both know this isn't right, **we** aren't right anymore. I know I loved you... once. I know too that somewhere along the lines we lost sight of each other and grew apart. As hard as it is to face, we don't want the same things anymore."

Tai looked shocked and hurt as he spat out with hatred, the rain bouncing off his lips as he spoke, "Matt did this didn't he?"

The young woman shook her head softly, splaying strands of twisted cinnamon hair across her delicate face. "No. Its not him, its me." She raised a hand softly to the boy's wet clenched cheek and said, "I'm different than I was three years ago when we first started dating..."

The boy shook his head frantically and his eyes welled up with tears. "No! No, you are not! You are the same sweet Sora who I gave a daisy to on our first date, still the same Sora who gets scared at slasher movies!" he said loudly, his voice more urgent and pleading then mad.

Sora smiled softly and whispered, "I admit I was my happiest when I was with you, Tai, but things change. I'm still her; I've just grown... And so have you, Tai. We aren't the same couple anymore and it's time we stopped denying it. We can't just stay together because we're afraid to break up and not be 'us' anymore. There still will be a life left after we part. There will be other young woman who can love you better then I ever could, ones to give daisies too and frighten at scary movies. But it's not fair for you or me to stay a couple just because we're too scared to be alone. There's a future out there somewhere and we'll find it."

The young man cupped Sora's hand that was at his face in his hand and pleaded quietly, "No..."

Yet the girl continued just as softly, "Sometimes it's best just to let go, Tai."

Tears and rain fell across Tai's cheeks and he suddenly grasped Sora gently, pulling her into an urgent kiss. His slick lips meet hers in an ardent embrace as his hand pressed against the hollow of her back. And yet as he kissed his high school sweetheart, he suddenly felt... **nothing**. Their embrace was just as cold as the rain, which now beat down on their heads. Suddenly all their memories together rushed back to the young man; all their dates, Sora screaming at the sight of blood in the movie theater, the way her smile looked, their hide-and-seek game in the woods, their innocent kiss in the garden at Hanako Park, the sound of Sora's racket hitting a serve, the way a daisy looked behind her ear...

And he let it all go.

Tai pulled away and looked at her with an expression of both disappointment and understanding. He squeezed her moist, warm hand one last time and then let his grip slip. With that, Tai turned around and walked away, looking back only once, the rain spilling down his face; his deep chocolate eyes swelling with unshed tears.

**:* )**

****

Sora stood alone in the park's garden for some time with the rain pouring down and the drenched paper lanterns and snuffed-out candlesticks all scattered haphazardly about her. She just relished the feel of the rain as it soaked her dress and made her pale skin gleam.

A soft song fluttered to her ears gradually and it was soft and sorrowfully deep. It was the melody of a harmonica; perfectly echoing the music the professional band had just been playing a minute ago before they stampeded away. The song traveled over the rolling hills and through the beating rain to caress her damp skin and Sora looked in the direction it flitted in from. Just several feet away, close to the tormented lake coast, lay a wispy tree that was dark black against the horizon. Underneath stood the shadow of a young man playing an instrument. Sora's heart warmed at the sight and hope leapt up into her throat as her feet suddenly took off in the direction and she bounced over the grass beautifully, urgency and rain pouring down her face. She yanked off her shoes and tossed them aside, her toes splaying in the damp grass blades. Sora lifted her dress high to her knees, her cheeks alive with a rosy blush. 

Yamato stood under the outstretched branches of a blossoming cherry tree; the flowers pale white with a fringing of dusky pink. He was dressed in black trousers and a white button down shirt, his jacket crumpled at his feet and his tie hanging loose across his chest. The cold metal of the harmonica moved methodically over his lips as he wailed the notes and his eyes were shut, the golden eyelashes dusting his high crescent cheeks. Sora softly stepped beyond the leafy awning and his eyelids slid open, pools of cobalt staring at her solemnly. The young man dropped the harmonica from his mouth and the frigid coldness wafted from his body. "Sorry your dance got ruined, Prom Queen," he greeted icily.

The young woman bit her petal lip gently and lowered her head. "I don't care about Prom. I don't care about any of it," she responded softly and reached up to take the diamond tiara from its perch on her head. Looking down at it, she dropped the crown to the grass. Then Sora gazed up, a fringe of crimson hair spilling into her auburn eyes, as she inquired, "Why didn't you go?"

Yamato was staring at her, meeting her gaze, and she could see the helpless frustration in his face. The sloping lines of his cheeks were gilded with luminous blue moonlight. "I was going to. I was there and everything, I had a date and rented this stupid tux," he said and then went on, his voice growing weaker and distant, "Then I saw you there, sitting alone. Tai was off doing his royal 'meet-and-greets' and you were sitting there, looking so sad and... perfect. And I couldn't. I had to leave, I just couldn't."

Sora's grief was revived and still she could read the pain in his tone, the wracking of tears in his throat. "Then you missed it," she spoke finally and mysteriously.

The young man's eyebrows raised and he asked in confusion, "Missed what?"

The red head went on, "Tai and I aren't together anymore."

Yamato did his best to remain emotionless even if his eyes rippled with grief and rage and he retorted sarcastically, "Well if I haven't heard those words before."

Sora was undaunted and shook her head, strands of damp hair making spiraled arcs in the air. "No you haven't. Because this time they're true. We weren't alike anymore, too much has changed. But I was afraid to not be with him. Because without him, I'd have to finally ask myself - who am I really?" she said.

The young man crossed his arms over his chest and his lips curled into a smirk. He snorted, "Wow. This is really interesting to hear about your self-revelation and all, but if you don't mind me asking, why should I give a shit?" There was a hurt to his anger though; his words were blistering with pain.

The petite young woman lost her restraint then and cried out in exasperation and anger, throwing her hands up, "O God, Matt! I know things haven't been easy but would you drop the whole 'fuck the world' attitude for just one damn minute?"

Yamato responded, shouting, finally saying what he'd wanted to say for along time, releasing his pain, "Why don't you try loving someone over and over and getting your heart ripped out again and again? Try letting someone make such an idiot out of you so many times that you feel like a pathetic fool - a fool for caring, a fool for believing next time would be different. You do that and try to be Ms.-fucking-Sunshine, alright." There were tears brimming in his eyes, he had just given a voice to everything he had been feeling. The air turned into turrets of white billows with his hot breath. 

Sora's eyes were wide, she had no idea he had felt that much over her. 'How could I hurt someone so much and not even realize?' Finally she spoke softly, "You're right."

Yamato had been expecting a fight, an argument, anything but that, so he remained silent. The young woman went on, her voice heavy with defeat, "So I'll just say this then and I'll leave for good. I was so scared. To be me, to figure out what I'm really about. Tai made it easy to slip into the role of the girlfriend, the accessory. But you... You've always challenged me, to be honest, to be real. I **feel **when I'm with you."

Sora couldn't help the tears from tumbling over her long eyelashes beaded with raindrops and over the slick map of her cream cheeks. She continued, "And I guess... Things haven't turned out the way we would have wanted... You hurt and I did too, I know you don't think I have but God have I." Her voice was breaking, the sobs swallowing her as she spoke, "I... I guess the way I see it is... I've fallen so many times and cried so much. For all the bruises, all the scrapes... If it leads me to you... Then it was all worth it."

The young woman stood in the parting, undulating metallic light, her hair falling damp over her shoulders and her white dress hugging her small petite body. She felt so vulnerable and fragile, like at any moment he could break her. 'But this is it. This is the risk. This is **love.**' Sora finally whispered breathlessly into the quiet between them, "So I guess the real question is... Can you love me again?"

The silence sunk around them and his eyes swam with emotions and thoughts. The moment drifted by slowly, catching them like rich thick amber, and the rain made a soft lull as it strummed against the leafy canopy above. Finally Yamato said with a slight smile, his yearning gaze meeting hers, "I never stopped." Then the young man reached across the distance to place a warm hand across her cheek and he leaned in against her. She felt his breath spilling against her face and his fingers interwove between the tendrils of scarlet locks as his lips met hers. The kiss was soft and passionate, her hand touching his upper arm. Shivering tingles traveled up her spine with the fluttering touch of his lips to hers, her heart turned light in her chest. Sora leaned in closer to him and the rain fell on.

'This is it.'

**^_^**

"Pretty Baby" 

Vanessa Carlton (Live)  
  
you light me up and then I fall for you  
you lay me down and then I call for you  
stumbling on reasons that are far and few  
I'd let it all come down and then some for you  
  
pretty baby don't you leave me  
I have been saving smiles for you  
pretty baby why can't you see  
you're the one that I belong to  
I'll be the embrace that keeps you warm  
for you're the sun that breaks the storm  
I'll be alright and I'll sleep sound  
as long as you keep comin' around, oh pretty baby  
  
and I know things can't last forever  
but there are lessons that you'll never learn  
oh just the scent of you it makes me hurt  
so how's it you that makes me better  
  
_[chorus]_  
  
why can't you hold me and never let go  
when you touch me it is me that you own  
pretty baby oh the place that you hold in my heart  
would you break it apart again... oh pretty baby  
  
_[chorus]_

*

**Closing Notes: **Inner sap alert! Sorry I just couldn't think of any better way to end this then with a sugary-sweet kiss and all. Hope you don't mind... Welp, that's all, folks! I had a blast; it's been fun but now all bums out! ^_^ See ya around... 


End file.
